Getting thereDomestic short haulVisited Jun 2026
Asking to board last, and why it was the best decision of the day
Requested at the gate rather than in the family boarding group, so the cabin was already settled. Crew had no issue with it and asked for nothing in writing. The meal service arriving 25 minutes in was the only hard part.
If you only read this bit
- Worked
- Late boarding on request, headphones on before the doors closed, a window seat
- Did not work
- The meal service arriving 25 minutes in, before anyone had settled
- Ask for
- Late boarding at the gate desk, not at the door, and a seat away from the galley
Family boarding is offered early, which sounds helpful and is the opposite of it. Early boarding means the longest possible time in a confined space with people filing past, overhead bins slamming and no way out. We asked at the gate desk instead, before boarding opened, whether we could go on at the very end. The answer was yes without any explanation needed.
The difference on board was immediate. Everyone was seated, the aisle was clear, and the walk to the seat took fifteen seconds rather than five minutes of standing still. Noise cancelling headphones went on at the seat and stayed on through the safety demonstration and the taxi, which is the loudest and least predictable part of a short flight.
Access details, as at Jun 2026
Late boarding: available on request at the gate, no documentation asked for.
Hidden disability lanyard: recognised at the airport, not something cabin crew referred to.
Quiet space: none airside at this terminal. The prayer room was empty and nobody minded.
What we would do differently: decline the meal service in advance and bring the food. It is the one part of a short flight nobody warns you about, because for most people a tray of food is a welcome interruption rather than an unasked for one.
Access arrangements change, and what one staff member allows another may not. This is one visit written up honestly, not a guarantee of what you will be offered. Nothing here is advice about anyone's health or care.