2018 Tickets

[aviodromefriend]

I'd say Sunday will be the day with the "best" traffic situation, Since '97 Saturday traditionally sees the largest audience, Friday has its normal home-work traffic using the same bits of roads as RIAT's traffic. Be aware, the last few years only Saturday was a sell out long in advance.

[Mr Benn]

Thanks for the quick replies guys - appreciated.

If choose the Friday , I do need to think about work traffic, coming home.

I went to the show about 6 years ago, and went via the Cotswolds. I don't recall actually queuing much to park my car relatively near the show. That was a Sunday , so not sure if it was just good timing or came in via a better route.

Booking anything a long way in advance is still an issue for me unfortunately, ..tho I have been overcoming some Anxiety issues these last 12 months. Cosford is nearer for me, but Im away on holiday that week.

[Berf]

Frankly if you have concerns I would seriously consider Thursday. There will be a lot going on. No it is not a full show but if 4 hours was enough for you before the Thursday may well be enough. While of course there is normal traffic it is easy to get into the park and view, leave when you like and easy to get out - that can't be said for the other days. It's much more relaxed and there's a rough programme of what arrives, rehearses. Better to have a happy day with less aircraft than lots of aircraft and stress IMHO. You will also get to see a few aircraft fly when they arrive that those on the other days will not and its good value and will not break the bank if you can't come on the day or its raining!

[Brevet Cable]

There are now just over 300 Super Earlybird tickets left for the 2018 Air Tattoo! Once these are sold the price will increase to our Earlybird discount of £50.
This is your very last chance to take advantage of the lower price as we anticipate that Super Earlybird tickets will be gone in 48 hours.

[Mr Benn]

Thanks for the tip Berf. From what I can see, on the Thursday am I right in thinking your not on the Airfield as such but a set park and view area ? So you don't get to see any static display aircraft ?
Love to know more about it. Are there quite big gaps between planes arriving , or practising ? Are you quite a distance from where they land ?
I was trying not to use a days holiday from work if I can, so steering towards the Saturday . Im surprised that is busier than the Sunday , as many people work on that day .

Sorry to ask so many questions . Appreciate any advice - hope it may help others too.

[clearstone]

My experience of the Blue Car Park over the past few years has been that Saturday has been the easier day for getting out at the end of the event. However it is not an exact science because it is not necessarily how busy RIAT is on any particular day, but what happens on the exit routes. (For example, if there's an accident/other blockage on the A419 heading south, then the Blue exit is always a nightmare because almost all the traffic that uses it is trying to head for the M4.)

Sunday can often be busier because its the end of the weekend and there is usually a lot more traffic on the roads generally as people head home for the start of the working week.

[Brevet Cable]

Is the "Saturday busier than Sunday" argument still valid ?
Granted that used to be the case, but since they imposed the limits on the number of tickets available for each day, isn't it now the policy to have the same number of tickers available for each day ?
If so, if both days are sell-outs then the attendance figures will be the same on both days ( and presumably as it's a full day this year, there will be the same number of tickets available for the Friday as well ? )
As for getting out of the Blue car park on the weekend, a lot depends on the route that's open....sometimes it's back along the same route as the inbound one, other times you can end up doing a grand tour down narrow country lanes with little in the way of signposts.

[Berf]

Thanks for the tip Berf. From what I can see, on the Thursday am I right in thinking your not on the Airfield as such but a set park and view area ? So you don't get to see any static display aircraft ?
Love to know more about it. Are there quite big gaps between planes arriving , or practising ? Are you quite a distance from where they land ?
I was trying not to use a days holiday from work if I can, so steering towards the Saturday . I'm surprised that is busier than the Sunday , as many people work on that day .

Sorry to ask so many questions . Appreciate any advice - hope it may help others too.

Well you are on the airfield for park and view east which is the most usual one for landing aircraft. However there is no guarantee they will land that way but it is likely you would know from the weather before you left home. No you don't get to see the static but the trade off is you see some of static flying when they arrive. You are as close as you can get for landing so it is pretty good. Yes there can be gaps but it is pretty busy.

[boff180]

The Disabled enclosure for Saturday is now sold out.

[aviodromefriend]

but since they imposed the limits on the number of tickets available for each day, isn't it now the policy to have the same number of tickers available for each day ?

Available? probably yes, but in the last years Sunday didn't sell out, so there are less people on base on Sunday, compared to Saturday.

[Brevet Cable]

Hence the line below the one you quoted.

[speedbird2639]

The Disabled enclosure for Saturday is now sold out.

Its my understanding that organisers of events are required to make 'reasonable adjustments' to enable disabled persons to attend. I therefore think that the disability viewing area/ provision needs to be made significantly larger if it is selling out by late January.

[play it cool]

The Disabled enclosure for Saturday is now sold out.

Its my understanding that organisers of events are required to make 'reasonable adjustments' to enable disabled persons to attend. I therefore think that the disability viewing area/ provision needs to be made significantly larger if it is selling out by late January.

They could put the FRIAT grandstand further back and expand it in front of that.

[Airshowhammer]

Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday all booked. Especially as they're now sending shuttle buses to and from arrivals and departures.
Quick question with arrivals and departures how do i get to sit in the grandstand or now that i've booked tickets where will i be located?

[harkins]

To the best of my knowledge, the only grandstand is the FRIAT one and that is exclusive to FRIAT ticket holders. For Thursdays arrivals and Mondays departures, in lieu of a FRIAT ticket, you have a choice of the viewing areas at the eastern or western end of the airfield. Sadly there is no grandstand in those. A small one at the eastern end would be terrific though as it can get insanely congested in there.

[CJS]

The Disabled enclosure for Saturday is now sold out.

Its my understanding that organisers of events are required to make 'reasonable adjustments' to enable disabled persons to attend. I therefore think that the disability viewing area/ provision needs to be made significantly larger if it is selling out by late January.

I wonder if there are any reliable statistics for the number of RIAT visitors who are registered disabled as a % of the total who attend. And if that corresponds roughly to the % of the population as a whole who are registered disabled. Which seems to be around 6% of children and 16% of working age adults based on this from 4 years ago https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... nd-figures

If the 2 match up (or nearly match up) and the disabled enclosure normally sells out then perhaps you're right, although I don't know the legalities of it.

Would it be 'reasonable adjustments' if enough space was made for 16% of paying adults to have access to the disabled enclosure on each day? Based on 50,000 people attending each day, that would provision for 8000 in the disabled enclosure.

[cg_341]

It's reasonable adjustments to attend the event, not reasonable adjustments for them to attend and sit in a specific enclosure.

Reasonable adjustments may be parking on hardstanding, step-free access to the event, limiting grass pathways, accessible toilets, and so forth. All of which I believe RIAT does outside of the enclosure?

[CJS]

It's reasonable adjustments to attend the event, not reasonable adjustments for them to attend and sit in a specific enclosure.

Reasonable adjustments may be parking on hardstanding, step-free access to the event, limiting grass pathways, accessible toilets, and so forth. All of which I believe RIAT does outside of the enclosure?

Yeah that's a very good point.

[Brevet Cable]

Not every registered disabled person is wheelchair-bound or need a mobility scooter.
Not every registered disabled person needs a HDU or even a dedicated disabled toilet ( or 'easy-access' or whatever the in-term is these days )
In fact, the majority don't.

There's an accessibility requirement.
There's a requirement to provide so many disabled-access toilets based on how many registered disabled people are attending.

You can be sure that DBH meet - and possibly exceed - these requirements.

Of course, given recent incidents at other events, it probably won't be long before they're pulled up for not providing 'signed' commentary for deaf people and tactile experiences / audio-descriptions for blind people.

[Brevet Cable]

Been looking at the ticket prices for this year's British F1 GP.....https://tickets.formula1.com/en/3226-silverstone/
Compared to them, RIAT seems very reasonable ( particularly if you add on the extortionate car park charges for Silverstone )

[CJS]

Compared to most days out in a similar vein RIAT is amazing value. The naysayers will say nay but, frankly, they're wrong.

[spellow3010]

Compared to most days out in a similar vein RIAT is amazing value. The naysayers will say nay but, frankly, they're wrong.

Absolutely, the two main arrivals days in particular are the best value money I ever spend at this show. The show days are okay. It gets expensive when you start to factor in buying food and upgrading to an enclosure etc, but on face value alone, there is exceptional value for money to be had at RIAT.

[borismorris]

Compare it to a football match or a concert..

Pearl Jam at the o2 is c£70 per person...thats just for an evenings entertainment..

If going to an airshow is your thing then RIAT is very good value.

Personally I booked the time off work as soon as I could and I'm committed to the full weekend.

[Brevet Cable]

the two main arrivals days in particular are the best value money I ever spend at this show.

Yep...they're free

As for the cost of food & drink, etc. is it really any different for any non-airshow event ?

[CJS]

Not in my experience. It's just as overpriced at RIAT as anywhere else. Captive audience and that. For example, I go for one day (although might squeeze in two this year) and pay roughly £45 for a day's ticket. I take food and drink with me and don't normally buy anything else when I'm there. £45 plus a bit for petrol is seriously good value for money for a ten hour day out. In at 8, leave at 6. That's £4.50 an hour!