joppiesaus

Hi everyone,

Here is my conundrum. Family members are flying SAS from CPH to the US, taking a flight around 12 noon. I'm also flying SAS the same day to Germany but my flight is at around 8pm. I'd like to accompany my family in the terminal (pre-immigration) to see them off, but I really don't want to stay in CPH (as lovely as it is) for almost 8 hours.

Is it possible to leave the airport and then come back and go through security? My concern is that very often, security marks your boarding pass. Would I trigger some kind of red flag or be blocked from re-entering for my evening flight?

Or do they have any sort of cut-off time, where they let people into the terminal (for instance, if they turn me away at 10am because my flight is 10 hours later)?

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

fassy

Not a problem at all. They will see you passed through security already once but won't care. Also not a problem to get through security with a same day boarding pass earlier in the day. You can even go through passport control to the Dfates to see your family off.

MrCharming

Isn't a problem re-entering. Done it a few times myself.

But it is correct that they can see that you've been through once on their screen

CPH-Flyer

If you use a mobile boarding pass, or a OLCI home printed boarding pass, they may ask you to go back to the airline desk to get a new boarding pass. I have tried and seen this. But no problems in it. If you get an airline printed one, usually not an issue as already pointed out.

FlyerTalker01565

Agree with the above and it's also CPH, meaning there are reasonable people to talk to who will help you. It's not America.

Smokingbread

As the previous ones, it's no problem at all.
Did it last sunday myself, where I even managed to check-in a bag after have been in/out the first time.
I was although asked to show a photo ID (driver license/Passport) when I entered the second time.

FlyingMoose

I've had opposite experiences specifically at CPH. The security staff at CPH is the worst of any Scandinavian airport in my experience. Rude, unfacilitating and not dealing with people that are holding up 20 others. Immigration folks also tend to be rude and ask irrelevant questions, exactly like the US. There is no need to ask why I use CPH as a transfer airport when it has the only direct flight to a certain destination from Scandinavia and I hold a passport from a neighbouring country.

It was even worse when SK's (or CPH's) system couldn't deal with bp both issued as a digital one and a paper one and you where send back to a desk for every flight. For some reason this problem only existed at CPH but it was terrible. I find the fast track security experience at ARN _much_ better. While any airport experience in the US is worse than CPH, it has considerable room for improvement.

I also despise the metro ticket check trap at the CPH station, trying to steal money from unaware tourists who occasionally as a result of that miss their flights because the metro ticketing system is often misunderstood.

diesel2k

Everybody is different I guess. I very much prefer fast-track in CPH compared to ARN or OSL.

SK2751

@FM, these might have some merit, but are otherwise unrelated to the question asked ...

I have re-entered security a handful of times. Once I was just asked to show an ID, once I was asked to revisit the airline desk for a printed BP. I think they can't prevent you from entering the airside. But they might require extra assurance that everything is all right. So I would not plan on arriving the last moment, for instance if you are asked to revisit the check-in counter.

If you are using fast track, then the BP check is done by SK employee, which I found in general much more forthcoming. Just a confirmation that it was indeed myself entering second time was sufficient.

MrCharming

You must be Swedish

FlyerTalker01565

My goodness, friend!

I'm not sure you want to take that debate, considering how ARN is basically an end-of-the-line stop with the only real traffic being connecting flights from such metropoles as Luleĺ and Kiruna ...

At least, though, ARN offers swift transportation the 80 kilometers or such into the so-called city, at only three days' median wages (on the train) or the equivalent of Zambia's GNP (taxi).

Speaking of Zambia; before you get on a taxi, you have to pick your day laborer yelling at you from 43 different (but equal) taxi lines if you choose this wonderful option.

The airport itself, however, is lovely. If you're into mazes and bad signage, that is. At least there are plenty of options to pay only 110SEK for a tiny sandwich, which you may enjoy at democratic stand-up only tables in beautiful red plastic design from the 70s.

At least you can't use any lounges, as they're constantly closed for 'renovation' (or hookers-n-coke parties by the jetset crowd that must exist somewhere in the vicinity of Stockholm; they're not in the 'city' itself at least). But hey - finding the lounge is practically impossible in the first place, so nobody misses out.

Now tell me again how wonderful the Fast Track service, for which you have to queue to enter by manual scanning, is?

fassy

Haha... Never thought I would agree with you on anything...

But yes, ARN is bad. Just yesterday I had to connect from CPH to Sweden Domestic and was stunned you can't go airside from T5 to T4 - next to the fact they don't even show on any departure table you have to go to T4 in the first place. I travel a lot but sinehow I forgot domestic Sweden is in T4 and was kind of confused not seeing my departure on any screens. Had to run around for 10 minutes until someone could tell me I have to go to T4.

The FastTrack security at T4 was another shocking experience. They did not even check for valid boarding passes or took their job close to serious. I guess I could have taken a Bazooka with me and they wouldn't have noticed since they were occupied flirting with the new girl.

Followed with the Inspiring stay at the domestic lounge - it is a disgrace. Never saw such a basic lounge. Next time I'll do next jet again from T2 and use the money spent extra on SJ for some food and drinks in the airport bars.

FlyingMoose

Ugh, ARN fast-track is a 2 minute walk away from parking. Never any queues, its fast and efficient and virtually never any "random checks". Yes, in my personal experience it seems to excel over places such as CPH, AMS and LHR. With close to 150 flights by the end of the year it provides some reference. Oh, and its only a 10KM walk to your departure gate instead of a 50KM one.

Nonetheless I greatly envy and value the presence of MASH at CPH, something ARN could learn from.

@Fassy, no disagreement on the appalling and unnecessary Domestic terminal.

joppiesaus

Thanks to everyone for your tips. I think I'm going to make sure I have a physical BP and hope that the experience goes well with the (hopefully) nice employees. FlyingMoose, I'm sorry to hear about your experience!

I don't think I'll be able to go through Fast Track though at CPH, since I think that is only reserved for those traveling business class on SAS (which I'm not) or their own gold+ members. I didn't see anything on their website that alludes to *A gold from other airlines also getting through fast track. I'll see how it is once I'm there though.

fassy

Correct, SK FastTrack security is limited to either travelling SK Plus/Business or being SK*G on any *A flight.

Anyway, the normal CPH security is pretty efficient, you won't wait much longer than 10 minutes, probably much less.