Shortest Time From Buying Ticket To Boarding Plane

[Platy]

Its a good thing that QF had not filled the J cabin with all those ODU freeloaders and kept some J capacity for last minute sales .

My memory may have had an attack of the creative satires, but I think they did suggest that I buy an economy ticket and then get upgraded into that lonely seat , but, :shock: I begged them to let me pay full price for the seat to be sure that I would get guaranteed catering (given it was 11.15am - a snack service of mini quiche and a Crownie)!!!

 

[NM]

(given it was 11.15am - a snack service of mini quiche and a Crownie)!!!

I hope they included a chocky to make it a healthy 3-course meal .

 

[Platy]

I hope they included a chocky to make it a healthy 3-course meal .

Mate, no chocky that flight, I was saving myself for the little ice creams on the evening SYD-CNS leg to rebalance the blood glucose after an afternoon of $2.50 schooners with the lads in the Combined (RSL) Club in SYD. My personal trainer mrgreen hates it when I go travelling - she has good reason to. Obviously, I aim to optimise my return on monies expended on air travel by devouring as much food and grog as freely available (although I was never that keen on the quiche). I have yet to calculate a return on my PT sessions.

 

[Blue Peter]

When in the US some years ago, I bought the ticket at the gate and walked down the ramp to the plane as soon as I had been handed my boarding pass and receipt. As soon as I had sat down we pushed back.

If you want the detail I was trying to fly with a colleague from La Guardia to Indianapolis (sorry not so good on the codes) having not bothered going to Newark as someone had dug into the main power cable and much of the airport was blacked-out. We arrived at La Guardia to find our carefully arranged alternative flight cancelled. The alternative alternative left from the next terminal in 15 mins and went via Detroit (Northwest, you may have guessed). So, we ran over to the next terminal, went straight to the gate, slapped a credit card on the desk and said "Two for Indianapolis, please". The carry-ons we had were too much for the overheads as the flight had already boarded, so they had to be checked, but they made the connection and all was well in the end.

Of course, you wouldn't stand a chance now with security being what it is, but in those days, it really could be like jumping on a bus.

 

[Yada Yada]

I've had two instances...

The first was circa 1998 in the USA. After getting off a SYD-LAX flight and clearing customs, I walked to the next terminal and purchased a ticket on SW to fly LAX-PHX and boarded about 20 mins later.

The second was Nov 2005. I arrived at Tullamarine for my MEL-SYD flight home to find a crowded DJ terminal - all computers were down and flights delayed by over an hour, and I had to be home on time that night. I began walking towards the other end of the terminal and phoned QF, purchased the ticket over the phone as I walked, went through security and straight to the gate where they printed the BP and I walked straight on board. All up it was about 15 mins from purchase to boarding.

 

[guybaxy]

Booked Austrian Airlines at 2.30pm from the office for myself and a friend. reported to Austrian check in 5pm for 6.30pm departure - ticket not issued, no printer etc I told them about the compensation (denied boarding about Euros 300? each) and they gave us boarding passes without any ticket! They said get the return ticket in Kl. When we got to Kl, no return ticket either, they said don't worry, get it hen you return and we got it.