[Grammar] To be supposed to/need.

[Ksenia]

Hello!
Please, could you tell if the following sentences are grammatically correct? And which one is better?
1) All passengers needed to be in the airport two hours before the plane departure to go through the formalities.
2) All passengers were supposed to come to the airport two hours before the plane departure to go through the formalities.

Thank you very much.

 

[emsr2d2]

Hello!
Please, could you tell if the following sentences are grammatically correct? And which one is better?
1) All passengers needed to be in the airport two hours before the plane departure to go through the formalities.
2) All passengers were supposed to come to the airport two hours before the plane departure to go through the formalities.

Thank you very much.

Why are you using the past tense here? This information is a general rule so you would more inclined to see:

All passengers must be at the airport two hours before departure in order to go through all the requisite formalites.

 

[Ksenia]

Thank you!
I am using the past tense, because I should describe this situation in the past.

 

[JohnParis]

If you must write in the past tense, then I suggest:

All passengers were required to be at the airport two hours before departure to complete the requisite formalities.

 

[Ksenia]

May I say 'to pass the requisite formalities'?

 

[JohnParis]

May I say 'to pass the requisite formalities'?

I think not. It sounds very awkward.
The opposite of pass is fail. Can you fail formalities?

Use complete (or conclude or finalize).

 

[Ksenia]

Thank you for such an accessible explaination!