As a general guide, we recommend arriving at the airport at least two hours before the departure of your flight. This way you’ll have plenty of time to go through the necessary pre-flight procedures with ease. 

The start of check-in depends on the requirements of the airline and the number of flying passengers. For regular flights you can usually check in during a whole day. The official start of check-in is two hours before the departure, in individual cases 1.5–1 hour before the departure. 

Remember!

If you wish to take a Covid-19 test before a flight at the airport, please arrive in a timely manner - at least 3 hours earlier.

When does check-in close?

Check-in is usually closed 30–40 minutes before departure. Any later than that, and check-in and departure may be denied to you. Some flights close check-ins 40 minutes before departure, especially if they are heavily booked. You can check this information with your airline.

When is boarding closed?

Boarding usually begins 20–30 minutes before departure. For some flights, boarding may begin as early as 40 minutes ahead of take-off. Boarding gates are typically closed 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time, which means that all passengers must be onboard, and the aircraft doors are closed. This time varies from airline to airline, ranging from 20 to 8 minutes before departure.

Why do you need to arrive early? 

The restriction is intended to take care of departure of aircrafts exactly as planned. Even a few minutes delay of a flight causes large damages to airlines, therefore aircrafts are not delayed without a serious reason.

The time from the end of check-in until take-off is intended;

  • to let the last passengers to go through the passport control and security clearance and to arrive for boarding on time;
  • to let baggage loaders load the baggage of registered passengers into the aircraft;
  •  to let check-in officers to collect data on the number of passengers and weight of baggage, to let the catering company to prepare and bring the necessary amount of meals to the aircraft;
  • to let flight coordinators to prepare an aircraft balance calculation required, when aircrafts take off and land.

When all the passengers have boarded the aircraft, in cold weather it is necessary to treat the aircraft with an anti-icing liquid, so that external mechanisms of wings and tail move freely and do not freeze.

So, we will be happy to see you on time for check-in and boarding!