UP IN THE AIR
The three ways you risk missing your flight at the airport – and everyone does them
And how to get through security checks quicker
WITH Easter break approaching, millions will be fearful of making the number one airport mistake.
Every year people miss their flights due to common errors, but there's an easy way to make sure you're airport trip is as smooth as it can be.
1
USA Today Blueprint surveyed 5,000 US travellers who had taken at least one flight in the last five years.
They were asked 15 questions in three categories: luggage and overpacking, overall preparedness and TSA checkpoints.
Here, we break down the top three ways you could miss your flight - and how to avoid them.
Forgetting to take off belts and shoes
The first mistake made by people who are pressed for time is forgetting to take off belts and shoes while approaching security checks.
Read more on flights
A whopping 28 per cent of people surveyed said they fail to remember while queuing up to go through the scanners - and it could save you oodles of time.
Walking through the scanner with phones, jewellery or keys
Another 28 per cent admit wandering through the scanner while still wearing their jewellery or clutching their phones.
It means you have to go back to square one and do it all again.
Not removing electronics from a carry-on
Another blunder is forgetting to take out your laptop, phone or tablet from your carry-on bag as you approach the queue.
Most read in News Travel
Some 23 per cent of travellers admit they don't take them out when prompted.
How an ‘open jaw’ flight could save you hundreds of pounds
Security agents do need to check the electronics in your bag for safety.
And the tech can also block security agents from seeing other parts of your bag - which could pose a hidden risk.
Other ways you can risk missing your flight
Pro flight attendant reveals all to The Sun:
Firstly, one of the main reasons is people losing track of time in airport bars.
Alcohol is never your friend when you're flying, not when you're in the air, and certainly not before you fly.
We regularly have to put out special announcements over the airport public address system telling passengers their flights are about to leave without them.
And nine times out of ten, they're in a Wetherspoons or one of the other airport pubs, paying absolutely no attention to the time, or which gate they're supposed to be at.
We get it, you're on holiday and you want to enjoy every minute of it before you have to go back to work.
But for the hour or two that you're in the airport, it's worth laying off the booze and focusing on exactly where you need to be and when.
That goes for food and shopping too because if it's not people drinking, they're probably eating a meal somewhere because they stupidly thought they had enough time, or shopping in duty free.
What people tend to do is focus on their departure time and not when boarding closes, which is also printed on their boarding pass. That's the time you really need to pay attention to.
You can turn up at the departure gate and the plane could still be there, but if we've closed the doors and got everything ready for takeoff, we're not risking a delay just so you could have an extra pint.
Another key piece of information people need to pay attention to when arriving at the airport is which terminal they're flying from.
This should be included on your ticket, but for some reason, people still manage to get it wrong.
If you've checked in online and got a boarding pass downloaded for Heathrow Airport, for example, the scanners will let you pass through to security, regardless of which terminal you're in.
Once you've reached the departure lounges, you're in real trouble and it could be a race against time whether or not you make it onto your flight.
If in doubt, ask someone because we can't wait around for someone just because they were careless.
Also, make sure you have everything you need with you, including your passport and any visas you need to enter the country you're visiting. That's your responsibility and not ours.
You need to check the passport requirements for the places you're visiting long before you travel to make sure you have enough time to renew your documents for your trip should you need to.