Airlines urge passengers to arrive early

Glacier Park International Airport is urging its passengers to give themselves plenty of time when arriving for flights, especially during the busy summer season.

Most airlines recommend passengers arrive an hour and a half to two hours prior to flight departure.

Elaine Schmeusser, a customer service agent for Alaska Airlines, has witnessed passengers missing flights because they didn’t allow themselves enough time to check in, check their bags and pass through security.

“Every day, we have people that are missing that cut-off time,” Schmeusser said. “It’s an ongoing issue now. TSA is backed up with all of the summer traffic.”

Last Monday, for example, seven people missed an Alaska Airlines flight out of Glacier Park International Airport. But this issue isn’t unique to the local airport.

“This isn’t just a summer thing, this happens year-round and not just at Glacier but at airports all across the country,” Glacier Airport Director Cindi Martin said. “What we’re telling people is to heed the advice of their carrier, because each carrier has their own check-in and cut-off times.”

Martin said some people may have a perception that because Glacier is a smaller airport they don’t need to arrive as early as they would at a larger airport. However, most flights coming in and out of Glacier arrive and depart around the same time every day, resulting in heavy traffic.

“We have several aircraft banks, so all of the passengers for all of those planes are trying to check in and get through security and on to the aircraft at the same time. You might be boarding a small flight, but there are lots of other aircraft on the ground that are boarding at the same time,” Martin said.

Schmeusser is worried that passengers who’ve missed their flights are leaving the Flathead Valley with a bad impression.

“I feel like this is causing tourists to have a really bad taste in their mouth as they’re departing the valley,” Schmeusser said. “We want happy people that are happy to come back here and spend money in the Flathead. We’ve had station meetings and I’ve personally gone to several hotels in Kalispell to get the word out that passengers need to be there an hour and a half before departure.

“I always felt like if people have a bad flight out of the valley, that was their final experience here and it wasn’t a good one.”

Martin noted that the airport authority suggests an arrival at least an hour and a half to two hours before the flight, which is fairly consistent with most carriers.

For example, Alaska Airlines connects with a flight in Seattle and must strictly adhere to its cut-off time. “That flight in Seattle is counting on us to be on time,” Schmeusser said. “If everyone could be educated to be there an hour and a half prior to departure, it would be in everyone’s best interest. You spend a lot of money on that ticket, make it work. Don’t pay extra fees for missing your flight.

“When everything goes smooth, everyone’s happy, but this kind of thing makes it really tough.”

The following are travel tips listed on the airport’s website, www.iflyglacier.com:

• Print your boarding passes at home

• Be familiar with TSA regulations

• Know your airline’s rules regarding luggage, carry-on bags and check-in

• Download your airline’s APP to your smartphone

• Pack all medications and valuables in your carry-on bag

• Give yourself extra time

The airport’s website has other useful travel information, including what items can and cannot be brought aboard the plane and parking and directions to the airport. Passengers can also check their flight status and use the express check-in tool. Schmeusser also warned about passengers typing in “Kalispell airport” into their GPS, which sends them to the Kalispell City Airport instead of Glacier International.

“Whether it’s heavy traffic, or if they get stuck in security, or they get lost and end up at the city airport, I feel really bad,” Schmeusser said. “Allow yourself extra time so that it works.”

Reporter Brittany Brevik can be reached by email at bbrevik@dailyinterlake.com or by calling (406) 758-4459.