Eric Jordan
Actor, Writer, and Ombudsman in Seattle, Washington
Yes, You Should Get to the Airport Early. Here’s Why
Written by Eric Jordan
July 11, 2014, CNTraveler.com
There was a bit of media fervor about airport arrival times last month when Jordan Ellenberg’s book, "How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking," was released. The bandwagon embraced the idea that travelers should arrive as late as possible because every extra moment at the airport is a moment wasted. This actually invites larger existential questions about the nature of time, the value of any moment, and the way we perceive our current circumstances…but we don’t have the, uh, time to delve into that here. Actually, we do have the time; what we don’t have is the inclination. For a simple primer, "The Tao of Pooh," by Benjamin Hoff, is a nice antidote to the notion that life is a series of utility-based decisions. For those who prefer not to dabble, there’s always the source material, Lao-Tzu’s "Tao Te Ching."
But to be fair to Ellenberg, his premise is slightly more nuanced. He recognizes some people prefer less risk; when they push their late arrivals too far, the positive utility of extra time in bed, on the beach, or at the office can be destroyed by stress. In the end, advice about when to arrive at the airport is really more recommendation than rule. But before we get to recommendations, let’s debunk three myths that popped up during coverage of Ellenberg’s book:
Myth 1 (my favorite): Airlines always let you move to the front of the security line if your plane is about to leave. Not only have I personally witnessed flat denials for such assistance, we’ve also received letters from readers who ran into this problem, some of whom intended to get to the airport moments before the check-in cutoff, but due to hotel-shuttle snafus, inadequate airline staffing, flat tires, traffic jams, or other issues, were not able to do so. They were refused any opportunity to move forward in the line, missed their flights, and had to pay hefty change fees or, in some cases, purchase new tickets.