Anonymous wrote:OP here. I was doing 3 different legs. Was easier to use one website.
Don’t lots of people use Travelocity, Expedia, smart fares etc?

No never.

Anonymous wrote:2.5 hours is a totally reasonable time to show up at the airport. I would also swear off an airline that did this to me.

Not for a flight that does preclearance to the US, like Ireland or Abu Dhabi. Then you need to add the usual 2.5 -3 hours and add at least an hour for the US passport and customs control.

Whether you booked third party or not, they cannot close a flight 2.5 hours before departure.

Anonymous wrote:2.5 hours is a totally reasonable time to show up at the airport. I would also swear off an airline that did this to me.

When the airline specifically states 3 hours and you get screwed because you did it your way, don’t come here to whine for sympathy.

2.5 hours is a totally reasonable time to show up at the airport. I would also swear off an airline that did this to me.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I was doing 3 different legs. Was easier to use one website.
Don’t lots of people use Travelocity, Expedia, smart fares etc?

No. I never do. Too much risk traveling with kids

I’m sorry this happened, OP. I can imagine it would be super stressful, especially with a kid! Like PPs have said, the two main issues seem to be that airport procedures took longer than anticipated because of Dublin’s US preclearance, and that you booked the tickets on a third-party site rather than with the airline directly. When something goes wrong, it’s harder for the airline to help because they don’t own the reservation.

I know it might be too fresh right now, and I know it sucks, but try to chalk this up as an expensive learning experience. I had a travel snafu once that cost me $1400 (missed an email that the flight time was pushed up 3 hours, showed up at the originally scheduled time, and of course had missed it by then), and while it was horrible and stressful at the time, I’ve become much more careful about checking and double checking flight times now. I’m grateful in a way.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you were at the counter more than 75 minutes before departure then you have every right to be upset, and you could even pursue involuntarily denied boarding compensation. If you weren’t at the counter at least 75 mins before then I am sorry this is a giant learning experience.

75 minutes for an international flight??? I don’t know what the exact time you should arrive for an overseas flight, but I always do three hours. Even if the flight is within the EU, I do three hours since I’m always unsure of customs, it’s usually an airport I’m not familiar with and I simply always like to be early and have some wiggle room with regard to time. I’d much rather be relaxed, get a coffee, than go what OP went through.

OP, sorry you went through this. It sounds truly awful. I never book through 3rd party sites, because I’ve heard too many horror stories similar to yours.

Yeah, that pp is crazy. She said before departure, too, not boarding. I remember having an early morning flight out of Delhi with young kids. We got to the airport 5 hours early and you literally have to push your way in. I think we stood in 3 different security lines. If you want yo make your flight, I like to be through, i.e. at the gate, 2 hours before flight.

No one said arrive at the airport 75 mins before a flight. The question was whether, after getting to the airport 2.5 hours before her flight she made it to the counter at least 75 minutes before her flight.

+1. Also, can you not check in online for international flights? I haven't taken one in 10 years.

Anonymous wrote:Dublin preclearance has been there since mid 1990s. Shannon had a weird one even before that where your passport was cleared but you still had your bags checked by the beagle brigade in US.

Shannon also had the first duty free ever and was the hub for Aeroflot. Now you want to talk about an airline with cheap flights and no customer service-- Aeroflot trying to make it in to the US market via the west of Ireland by putting in a duty free!

Clearly I am old and Irish.

I’ve flown Aeroflot. Making it to your destination was a bonus. The most barebones airline ever.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is the Dublin Preclearance? We were there last year and this is the first I'm hearing of it. Is this only out of DC?

It’s where you clear US immigration and customs at foreign departure point rather than at home. In my opinion, it’s the stupidest policy ever, but it persists in Ireland, Abu Dhabi, and certain parts of the Caribbean.

Yes it’s horribly managed and a PITA. It takes forever and machines routinely real down. I’d rather clear customs in the US.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you were at the counter more than 75 minutes before departure then you have every right to be upset, and you could even pursue involuntarily denied boarding compensation. If you weren’t at the counter at least 75 mins before then I am sorry this is a giant learning experience.

75 minutes for an international flight??? I don’t know what the exact time you should arrive for an overseas flight, but I always do three hours. Even if the flight is within the EU, I do three hours since I’m always unsure of customs, it’s usually an airport I’m not familiar with and I simply always like to be early and have some wiggle room with regard to time. I’d much rather be relaxed, get a coffee, than go what OP went through.

OP, sorry you went through this. It sounds truly awful. I never book through 3rd party sites, because I’ve heard too many horror stories similar to yours.

Yeah, that pp is crazy. She said before departure, too, not boarding. I remember having an early morning flight out of Delhi with young kids. We got to the airport 5 hours early and you literally have to push your way in. I think we stood in 3 different security lines. If you want yo make your flight, I like to be through, i.e. at the gate, 2 hours before flight.

No one said arrive at the airport 75 mins before a flight. The question was whether, after getting to the airport 2.5 hours before her flight she made it to the counter at least 75 minutes before her flight.

Dublin preclearance has been there since mid 1990s. Shannon had a weird one even before that where your passport was cleared but you still had your bags checked by the beagle brigade in US.

Shannon also had the first duty free ever and was the hub for Aeroflot. Now you want to talk about an airline with cheap flights and no customer service-- Aeroflot trying to make it in to the US market via the west of Ireland by putting in a duty free!

Clearly I am old and Irish.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you were at the counter more than 75 minutes before departure then you have every right to be upset, and you could even pursue involuntarily denied boarding compensation. If you weren’t at the counter at least 75 mins before then I am sorry this is a giant learning experience.

75 minutes for an international flight??? I don’t know what the exact time you should arrive for an overseas flight, but I always do three hours. Even if the flight is within the EU, I do three hours since I’m always unsure of customs, it’s usually an airport I’m not familiar with and I simply always like to be early and have some wiggle room with regard to time. I’d much rather be relaxed, get a coffee, than go what OP went through.

OP, sorry you went through this. It sounds truly awful. I never book through 3rd party sites, because I’ve heard too many horror stories similar to yours.

Yeah, that pp is crazy. She said before departure, too, not boarding. I remember having an early morning flight out of Delhi with young kids. We got to the airport 5 hours early and you literally have to push your way in. I think we stood in 3 different security lines. If you want yo make your flight, I like to be through, i.e. at the gate, 2 hours before flight.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is the Dublin Preclearance? We were there last year and this is the first I'm hearing of it. Is this only out of DC?

You pre clear customs and immigration in Dublin. Do you not remember that? No need to act a fool. Been in place since at least 2017 when I last flew back to the US from Dublin.

I did it in 2005. Aer Lingus was delayed for 4 hours and I missed my connection in Boston. Aer Lingus did give me a hotel for the night. I had no idea about US preclearance until I got there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is the Dublin Preclearance? We were there last year and this is the first I'm hearing of it. Is this only out of DC?

It’s where you clear US immigration and customs at foreign departure point rather than at home. In my opinion, it’s the stupidest policy ever, but it persists in Ireland, Abu Dhabi, and certain parts of the Caribbean.

I would much rather wait in line prior to my flight than after. It's much easier to walk off the plane in a domestic terminal and get your luggage. It does require planning though because the lines are longer for preclearance and you have to get to the airport much earlier.

+1. It’s also much easier if you have to make a connecting flight when you get back to the US.