Not so easy as airline to turn away ‘Have A Go’ latecomers

EASYJET is to crack down on passengers arriving late this summer, with a new rule meaning that anyone who shows up for a flight less than half-an-hour before takeoff may not be allowed to board unless they pay a €105 fine.

The no-frills carrier has already asked Gatwick airport to reprogramme its security barriers to reject boarding passes with less than thirty minutes to go before departure, preventing HAG, Have A Go, fliers from sprinting for their gate.

A warning is printed in small print on the boarding passes that states: “Gatwick security control gates are automatically being timed to close 30 minutes before departure.”

If refused access, travellers must return to the easyJet desk “to rearrange their travel arrangements.”

Missed flight cover can be purchased for €10 when booking tickets, allowing the option of a full refund or travel on the next available flight, but those declining the cover will be charged a ‘rescue fee’ of €105 to organise an alternative journey.

An easyJet spokesman said the move was being introduced to assist passengers, “So that they do not needlessly clear security at the point where the gate is already closed.”

Confusingly, easyJet customers will now read that they should enter the security area with at least half-an-hour to spare, but that the gate closes thirty minutes before departure on the same boarding pass.

This suggests that passengers arriving at security just in time may be turned away from the gate, with easyJet failing to provide clarification thus far.