Seeking the wisdom of the Flist

[intertext]

Especially those familiar with London airports...

I've booked a ticket to Venice from London leaving at 7:25am from Gatwick - I had all kinds of sensible reasons for doing this, but now am having second thoughts. Is this technically feasible? (I know that the first Gatwick express from Victoria leaves at 4:30, and they run every half hour thereafter). My hotel is near Earls Court station. I guess what I'm asking is how sticky are they about the time ahead - how risky is it to be later than two hours ahead of time. It's probably easier to rebook a hotel nearer to Gatwick for my last night than to try to change my airline booking (it's British Airways). And is the Gatwick express the best/fastest way to get there from where I am?

Thoughts?

Comments

[a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com]

I would book a hotel at Gatwick. BA charges an arm and a leg to change reservations, and hotels don't.

[oursin.livejournal.com]

The two hours is recommended rather than a hard limit, isn't it? I've certainly on occasion arrived at airports with less time to spare (I draw a veil over the time in Barcelona when I found I had lost my passport as we were packing to leave). Particularly if you check-in online in advance it shouldn't matter if you're there a bit later.

The Gatwick Express is certainly the best way to get there from Earl's Court - and get a minicab from there to Victoria.

[ellarien]

The thing about London airports is that you can easily spend an hour waiting in line to check in, at least for transatlantic flights -- I don't have as much experience with European ones. The security lines are better than they used to be in the grim days of 2006, though, and Gatwick is a bit smaller and friendlier than Heathrow.

I'd get a hotel at the airport, if it was me.

[arcana-mundi.livejournal.com]

I'm a huge fan of staying at the airport the night before no matter what, really. It might just be lucky socks thinking, but I feel like it makes the first 24 hours easier, and that makes the whole first week easier, and etc.

[owlfish]

If you're looking for an airport hotel that's RIGHT at the airport:

http://www.yotel.com/gatwick