When should I book departure flights from London? (Monday 29th)

[superhands91]

Hello,

We are catching a coach back to London at 7am on monday 29th and are planning to book flights from London to Amsterdam leaving the same day. How long does the journey back to London take and do you think we will make flights comfortably departing at 4PM or 6PM from Heathrow?

Thanks!

[musky]

It usually takes 4-5 hours to get back to London, so even if you've got the coach package departing and returning to the O2 you should be fine. The O2 isn't in central London so it'll take longer to get to Heathrow but even a 4pm departure should be ok.

[glasto-worker]

Hello,

We are catching a coach back to London at 7am on monday 29th and are planning to book flights from London to Amsterdam leaving the same day. How long does the journey back to London take and do you think we will make flights comfortably departing at 4PM or 6PM from Heathrow?

Thanks!

problem is ' you never know what is around the corner '

Last year some of our crew coaches got caught up in a traffic problem ' miles from the site ' that had nothing to do with Glastonbury - the coach that was behind us diverted but all the rest went the normal way - at London the coach that was able to divert arrived nearly 5 hours before we did

sure that situation may not happen this year ' but you never know '

+ you have to add two hours

from the Heathrow site

You are advised to check in as early as possible. As a general guide, you should aim to arrive:

Long-haul and El Al: three hours before scheduled departure

European flights: two hours before scheduled departure

UK and Ireland flights: 90 minutes before scheduled departure

as it happens one of my Team has a flight back to Iceland and he books the last flight as after all better to be safe than sorry.

now you could get on and your off and you don't have any problems but you will never know until the day.

cover your arse and book a later flight.

[johnmcga]

As late as you can. Seriously - sometimes stuff happens.

Any problems on the roads or with the coaches can have knock-on effects, so you're best to build in the biggest cushion you can.

[calcium_kid]

I always try to book my plane ticket for the Tuesday morning/afternoon when I return for festivals. As mentioned before a bit off traffic and you can be delayed by a few hours, and you’ll miss your flight. I’ve had a few very close calls in the past by booking a Monday evening flight.

[glasto-worker]

I always try to book my plane ticket for the Tuesday morning/afternoon when I return for festivals. As mentioned before a bit off traffic and you can be delayed by a few hours, and you’ll miss your flight. I’ve had a few very close calls in the past by booking a Monday evening flight.

although its never happened to me I know loads of volunteers who over the years ended up on coaches that broke down.

all the bunch below would still be there on that small hill if there was not a guy who had my number.

its only after the coach broke down did they discover that the driver did not have a onsite number for the WBC - he only had the office number { but there was no one there as they were all at Glastonbury } - he even did not know the coach company - he had stepped in for a friend - no one on that coach knew the WBC mobile number { as its only handed to a few key people } anyway one of them had my number and he called me up and I gave him the WBC mobile number and they got a replacement coach to pick them up - I was on another coach so I don't have a clue how long this all delayed them by but I know that some missed their trains to god knows where.

One never knows what will happen - if I get delayed its not the end of the world I just arrive back a bit later but if I had to catch a flight I would build in a huge margin.

welcome to the boards

PS { WBC run the main bars to earn money for good causes and trade unions }

[calcium_kid]

although its never happened to me I know loads of volunteers who over the years ended up on coaches that broke down.

all the bunch below would still be there on that small hill if there was not a guy who had my number.

its only after the coach broke down did they discover that the driver did not have a onsite number for the WBC - he only had the office number { but there was no one there as they were all at Glastonbury } - he even did not know the coach company - he had stepped in for a friend - no one on that coach knew the WBC mobile number { as its only handed to a few key people } anyway one of them had my number and he called me up and I gave him the WBC mobile number and they got a replacement coach to pick them up - I was on another coach so I don't have a clue how long this all delayed them by but I know that some missed their trains to god knows where.

One never knows what will happen - if I get delayed its not the end of the world I just arrive back a bit later but if I had to catch a flight I would build in a huge margin.

welcome to the boards

PS { WBC run the main bars to earn money for good causes and trade unions }

Thanks for the welcome, been a lurker for a couple of months, in excitement for me first Glastonbury.

Yeah, missing my flight can cost me up to £300, and missing a few days of work if there isn't any space on the next flights.

[glasto-worker]

Thanks for the welcome, been a lurker for a couple of months, in excitement for me first Glastonbury.

Yeah, missing my flight can cost me up to £300, and missing a few days of work if there isn't any space on the next flights.

my friend who is on my Team who comes from Iceland is the Chief of Police at Keflavik International airport so Icelandair don't charge him if he needs to change a flight so if there was a big delay he would stay at my place and fly the next day even if its full they will let him use a jump seat - its never happened when he has been at Glastonbury but in the past where he was flying from wherever and was diverted so missed a connection and the knock on effect was he had to change his flight - with him being his own boss its no big deal if he misses a day from his work.

I started going 36 years ago but unlike you ' I had no idea ' - where it was { Pilton did not appear on a map } - No one had ever heard of the festival { in London } and there was no site such as http://www.glastoearth.com/the-faq

in fact there was no Internet at all.

that guide contains stuff that every one who ever intends to go should read as its the best preparation that a person needs.

[hjglasto]

You could easily breeze it and be in London for 1, but you could just as easily end up in a horrific traffic jam, I'd recommend as late as possible on Monday, if not Tuesday if you can stay a night somewhere.