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Passengers told 'don't be early' Passengers told 'don't be early'
(about 3 hours later)
British Airways is warning Christmas passengers at Heathrow not to be "too early" for flights because they are causing congestion at the airport. Air travellers should not be "too early" for flights from Heathrow over Christmas because they are causing congestion, British Airways has warned.
Travellers taking short haul journeys are being told not to turn up more than two hours before their flight. Passengers should not turn up more than two hours before short-haul flights and three hours before long-hauls, BA said.
BA said early passengers were causing problems by "milling around" the concourse before check-in opens. The airline warned that there were too many people "milling about" near the concourse before check-in opens.
The airline said memories of the summer's security delays and busy roads were causing people to turn up early. Busy roads over the festive period and memories of summer delays were causing people to turn up early, BA claimed.
The airport operator BAA is predicting 2.8 million passengers will travel through Heathrow from now until the New Year in the annual Christmas getaway.The airport operator BAA is predicting 2.8 million passengers will travel through Heathrow from now until the New Year in the annual Christmas getaway.
And with the long queues for security in August due to the terror alert still in people's minds and the worry about traffic, people are turning up four or five hours before flights, a BA spokesman said. A spokesman for BA said people were turning up four or five hours before their flights were scheduled to take off.
He said long queues for security checks owing to a terror alert in August were still in people's minds and were combining with the usual seasonal traffic worries.
They are essentially stuck in limbo and are filling up the airport - unable to go through security or go shopping BA spokesmanThey are essentially stuck in limbo and are filling up the airport - unable to go through security or go shopping BA spokesman
The airline is advising its customers travelling on short haul flights not to arrive at the airport terminal earlier than two hours before take-off. "Because it is busy at Christmas, people factor in more time," he said.
Passengers travelling long haul, should not be more than three hours early. "But it doesn't serve them well because they get there so early the self-service kiosks are not open and the check-in is not open for business.
"Because it is busy at Christmas, people factor in more time, but it doesn't serve them well because they get there so early the self-service kiosks are not open and the check-in is not open for business," a BA spokesman said.
"They are essentially stuck in limbo and are filling up the airport - unable to go through security or go shopping.""They are essentially stuck in limbo and are filling up the airport - unable to go through security or go shopping."
Christmas spirit
Meanwhile, shoppers have been spending on high streets across the country on what is predicted to be one of the busiest trading days of the year.Meanwhile, shoppers have been spending on high streets across the country on what is predicted to be one of the busiest trading days of the year.
Some shops are opening for longer hours during the last week before Christmas to entice more people over their thresholds.
With recent interest rate rises and the growing popularity of online shopping, there had been fears retailers were facing the toughest Christmas for 25 years.With recent interest rate rises and the growing popularity of online shopping, there had been fears retailers were facing the toughest Christmas for 25 years.
But the British Retail Consortium said seasonal trade was going "reasonably well".But the British Retail Consortium said seasonal trade was going "reasonably well".
However, others could be opting not to spend their hard-earned cash on the festivities.
A survey suggests one in three people dread the Christmas season and fail to get into the spirit.
The poll by Zurich Insurance shows that men were more likely to dislike the season, with one in five of them admitting they felt like Scrooge.
Half of the men asked in the survey of 2,500 adults said Christmas had become too commercial and had killed off their goodwill.