11am flight to Barcelona Airport?

[Lou33]

Our ship is scheduled to return to Barcelona at 6am. It looks like an 11am flight is the best we can get. Any other flight would be about 5 hours later or several hundred dollars more.

 

Does it seem reasonable that an 11am flight would give us enough time to get to the airport and check in? If we missed the flight, I guess the worst that could happen is we have to standby for later flights.

[hkto]

Our ship is scheduled to return to Barcelona at 6am. It looks like an 11am flight is the best we can get. Any other flight would be about 5 hours later or several hundred dollars more.

 

Does it seem reasonable that an 11am flight would give us enough time to get to the airport and check in? If we missed the flight, I guess the worst that could happen is we have to standby for later flights.

 

You have plenty of time. It takes about 10-15 min to disembark and no more than 30-35 min taxi ride to the airport from the pier. There are usually no line ups for cabs before 8 am. The only thing I can think of is that there might be a wait if you need a minivan cab (for larger groups and more luggage) but definitely not for standard sedans. If you do have special requirements for larger van then you may want to consider pre-booking it in advance.

[Dushi]

On our two previous disembarkations from the BCN port, we booked flights at 1pm or later and took a leisurely taxi ride to the airport. With all the extra security concerns, I am wondering if we should take the 11am flight or pay an extra $200pp for a later flight. At that price, we'd may as well spend an extra day in BCN (already intending to spend 3 nts pre-cruise).

 

hkto

Was your experience recent? The last time we were in BCN was 2007 so I don't know how much has changed.

[~Fianna]

On our two previous disembarkations from the BCN port, we booked flights at 1pm or later and took a leisurely taxi ride to the airport. With all the extra security concerns, I am wondering if we should take the 11am flight or pay an extra $200pp for a later flight. At that price, we'd may as well spend an extra day in BCN (already intending to spend 3 nts pre-cruise).

 

hkto

Was your experience recent? The last time we were in BCN was 2007 so I don't know how much has changed.

 

My last experience flying into the US from international was very, very soon after the Christmas day underwear bomber, so people who have flown more recently might have better info...

 

Security coming back in to the US is VERY tight. We went through 2 security checkpoints and also were hand-searched. Everyone and I mean everyone on the plane was hand searched and patted down.

 

We wound up missing our connection and had an "unscheduled vacation extension" in NYC as we couldn't clear customs and make the last flight out of JFK to LAS because we took off late due to all the hand-searching and patting.

 

This was at CDG on AF/DL codeshare to JFK in January. Hopefully they've eased up a bit, but be prepared for extra attention from security on US bound flights.

[Desert Cruizers]

Flanna, we have a TA planned for Oct 2011 Barcelona to Ft Lauderdale, I am worried about the best departure out of Ft Lauderdale back to Calif. If you enounctered that much delay, wonder if we should chance leaving the sameday or stay over in FT lauderdale and catch a early flight out next AM.

[riffatsea]

The trouble is not just at the airport. There can also be delays in the port and just because the ship docks at 6AM does not mean it will be cleared to allow passengers to leave as quickly as you'd like.

IF you get off by 8AM you'd get to the airport by 8:30ish which MIGHT be enough time. I like to have 3hrs. before an international flight takes off just to be sure.

IF you miss your flight it is not so easy to get on another flight as they often fly pretty full these days.

[Desert Cruizers]

We have time to search out the best flights, latest I see out of FT laud back to Palm Springs is around 3 PM. I wouldn't want to catch a flight earlier then 1 flying only within the US but not sure about coming off a TA.

[bethaniesmom]

i'm one of those that likes to have lots of time....i would be very unhappy to miss my flight. 11AM sounds awful early with the security in Europe.

 

Good luck!

 

Beverly

[Dushi]

That settles it. Thanks everyone, I guess we'll book the 1:45pm flight with a connection in Madrid instead of the 11am non-stop. It will add 3 hours to the overall trip time. Guess I'll have all that extra time to do some more shopping.

[Desert Cruizers]

Well I found a nice schedule if going out Oct 2010, so will hope it stays, We could go Palm Springs, Dallas, Heathrow, Barcelona 2:20 PM arrival. Coming home, FT Laud 5:25, Phoenix, Palm Springs 9:40 PM arrival. As it sits right now, $1808, Cruise Air thru TA/RCL $1783.

[OttoCal]

Hi folks- for anyone contemplating scheduling times coming out of BCN- here is our recent experience...

 

If you do allow the 'suggested' 3 hours advance time to get to the airport, you should be fine.

 

If you don't... be prepared for looooong lines.

 

Line 1: Check in line at the airline counter. They don't move fast, and perhaps have only 2 passport checkers for the whole line, then 4 counter agents.

 

Line 2: Primary Security. This could be fast! Or not! This is the regular ailrine one where they scan your bags & you go through the metal detectors.

 

Line 3: Customs Line (or is it immigration??) Whatever- but you have to go through it to get your departure stamp on your passport.

 

Line 4: Secondary Security, just before your departure gate. PAINFUL!!! And if there are multiple flights leaving from a certain gate area, DOUBLE PAINFUL. Worse on a weekday with business travelers. In this line, men and women are split up, and sent to a table for a full pat-down and full bag check. They take everything out of your bag, you turn on all electronics, then you try to squish the stuff back in the way you had it.

 

Then you can actually get on the plane.

On Monday, when there were actually very few planes leaving due to the ash cancellations, the women in our group got through secondary security in about 10 minutes. The men's line was significantly longer and took 40-90 minutes.

 

When you check in at BCN, your ticket will say something like 9:00 am check in for your 11:00 flight or whatever. You think 'oh, that's crazy!'. But no- it's that secondary security check that slows everyone down, and you should get yourself up there that early. :eek:

 

*** And keep in mind we were there (twice) doing this durin the volcanic ash flight disruptions, where there were only about 1/2 or less of the international flights actually leaving. I can't imagine the hassles during a regular time. ***

[Desert Cruizers]

Our Cruise, will depart from Barcelona and arrive in FT lauderdale 15 days later, so I imagine we would go thru a security check back in the States.

[Dushi]

OttoCal-

 

The second security process sounds painful. We'll be connecting in Madrid so I guess we'll go through the second security at Barajas.

[Kirkcollm]

We had an 11 am flight and had no trouble getting to the airport in time.

Disembarkment at that early in the morning is fairly quick.

We chose to do a walk off - dragging our own luggage, which was also helpful. .

 

There were tons of cabs and we got to the airport quickly - even with volcano ash issues.

[mek]

Five years ago we did a 10 am flight with no problems, but some things have changed since then, we have a noon flight this December.