Honey, I Shrunk the Layover: Conquering the Jungle of Airport
A holiday should never begin and end with a nervous tick. Well-planned events can look perfect and flawless only at first glance. I already found the best flights that are ideal for me regarding price and arrival time. I’m booking my accommodation with peace of mind and looking at locations to visit. What can lead to eye tics and recurrent check-ups? There is not a situation that could cause my eye to twitch from the stress, right? Oh, how wrong I was.
- 2024-09-25
- 6:05 AM GMT

It is only after all the confirmations that I remembered about Brexit. Why would Brexit interfere with my travel plans? Well, my country of arrival is considered a non-EU, so I will have to spend additional time in the airport going through passport control. You wonder, why that is such a big deal? Well, my layover between flights is only 55 minutes. For reference, it takes 55 minutes just to deplane the aircraft and to get to the terminal building itself. It is quicker than going down the stairs and waiting on the bus for the other passengers, who are not involved in your race for a seat if you arrive and there is a jet bridge you must use to get off the plane.
When the flights were selected on the airline’s website, the system did not display any warning that the time between flights was shorter than the time needed to complete all of the procedures. The game is that the airline only gives access to the tickets and helps transport the passengers. All the other nuances are for us as flyers to check and pay attention to ourselves, such as the validity of the passport, and whether a visa is required. Buy your tickets from online travel agencies or ticket distributors. They can add some details regarding the earlier process, but you need to be extra cautious regarding their options with non-direct flights. Why?
Online travel systems attract their clients’ attention with bright advertisements, pictures of luxury holidays, and ultra-low prices. What they do not tell us is that some of the “connecting flights” are not connecting flights at all. They can sum up two airline flights and sell them as a connecting trip. Why does it matter? If you buy from the airline and they provide you with connecting flights, you have to make sure that they are under one airline reservation number (PNR), and in any situation, i.e. flight delay, or a missed connecting flight, you will get help and a new ticket. In case you have two flights with different reservation numbers, each flight counts separately and if one is delayed and you miss the second one, you have the extra hard task of contacting the travel ticket distributor for help getting a new flight ticket. Also, if, for example, your first flight is delayed 50 minutes and you will not be able to catch the second one, EC261 Regulation compensation for disrupted flights will not be eligible in your case.
But let’s go back to the story.
Oh, those 55 minutes gave me no peace. Will I make it? What I will have to do next if I don’t make it?
Those were the questions that started to occupy my mind. To get those stress-causing thoughts out of my head, I took a look at the airport’s layout. Flight websites, such as https://www.flightaware.com/ can help you to see the gates that are most used for that flight. This information will not be dead on but it can help you navigate at the airport more easily. Location indexes and flight information tables became my friends during my layover at the Warsaw Chopin Airport. It is known as the busiest airport in Poland and the 31st busiest airport in Europe, so those extra preparations came in handy.
You should know, that if the first flight is even slightly late to arrive at the connecting point and you miss the second flight, the airline is obliged to provide you with an alternative flight. It happens very rarely, especially when there are a lot of plans in the pipeline. However, one can also understand the airline’s need to provide alternatives for all the passengers affected by these delays. With that said, it is important to remember that if in such case you refuse the airline’s offer, you will automatically lose your chance to receive compensation for EC261/2004.
My recommendation is if you are entering the first airport at the beginning of your journey, you can book a fast-track service. It is convenient for what reason? Unlike larger airports, smaller airports are rarely so crowded that passengers have nowhere to put their feet once they enter. But at the larger airports with fast-track service, you can bypass long security lines and head straight to your gate, saving you valuable time. You can get through the security check faster if you choose fast-track. It usually costs about 10€, but remember that it only applies if you enter the airport from the “outside”. You will not be able to use a fast-track service if you have already arrived at a connecting airport.
Save your flight numbers in Google search so you have up-to-date information on your phone. This trick helps you get information faster when you arrive at the airport. Follow the airport signs, as there always will be a “connecting flight” sign somewhere. If you are flying to a non-EU country, have your passport easy to reach, as passport control will be the first point you need to pass through. In my case, there were 5 automated passport check counters, but the woman in front of me was rummaging through the bag looking for her passport. This not only delays her process but also delays the process of all the other passengers.
Once you’ve cleared passport control, you need to find your gate. Tempting duty-free deals are not to be trifled with, especially when we have so little time. It is good to have your flight information saved on your phone so that by the time you get through passport control, the system will be showing your gate. It would also be helpful if you could find a flight information table with flight information along the way. Thanks to ample preparation, I managed to run to my gate in 20 minutes out of the 55 minutes I had. But my nerves won’t thank me for such stunts.
As such, it is important to prepare in advance not only for the places you want to visit or to research where the best pizza is served. The prosecco bubbles can wait, as the first order of business is to make sure you’ve got all the flight details correct and the time between flights is more than enough. If your first flight is delayed and you can’t make your connection, contact SKYCOP.COM and we’ll help you.