Originally Posted by
UKtravelbear
An option would be to check the bag(s) under one of the adults so that on arrival that adult clears the UK border, collects the bag(s) and then rechecks it in whilst the other family members go the flight connections route and remain airside and clear UK immigration during that process. You can then arrange to meet back up in the departures area.
Not sure how this will work. The CI agent is certainly not going to check more bags than the individual allowance if only one passenger of a booking shows up for the LHR-EDI check-in and checking in bags for each passenger in the booking may fire backwards if the CI wants to see passports of all passengers while those same passenger are staying airside.
Re: bag drop. It is indeed 3H for non-status holders and from 5 am for status holders. Can't say much about the self-check-in machines as I haven't used them (generally traveling HBO or there was an actually check-in desk immediately available).