Originally Posted by
Westcoaster
FWIW: Last year I tried to check a bag at SEA about 4 hours and 15 minutes before the flight and the nice agent suggested I wait until the 4 hour mark. She said that something happens at the 4 hour mark that makes it more likely my bag would get to the proper destination at the proper time. Maybe a batch is opened at that time? Wish I could remember the exact words but I can't. In any case I waited to check.
On the other hand we got to HNL really early one time and the agent had no problem checking the bags before the 4 hour mark. She said it wasn't a problem.
If someone understands the mechanics of all this please share.
The four hour cutoff is because baggage sorting systems have many outputs and change just like gates do. Within 4 hours the airline has a good idea of where your flight is leaving from and sets a permanent output. If you check in your bag before that time, it might be set to A2, but at the 4 hour mark switches to Z27. Now there is one bag at A2 and all the rest at Z27. The bag might be noticed in time, but outputs are shared with dozens of flights so that doesn’t always happen with time to take it to the gate and get it loaded. When you land and your bag isn’t there, you file a claim, the airline pays for necessities, then pays for shipping to you, and 1-2 of those cases every flight adds up to lots of money. Thus the 4 hour rule, saves airlines money, saves you stress at the end of your flight, and everyone wins.
Also sometimes the 4 hour rule is in place because check-in staff don’t arrive until 4 hours to departure which I learned the hard way in YVR.
