Originally Posted by
strayersong
It is but plans change. I had no intention to check in my luggage until my friend gave me a bottle of Prosecco as gift!
And here is my take. This is where I think it changes from being hand baggage to checked baggage (all be it hand baggage sized checked baggage).
There seem to be 2 main ways in which the checking of cabin baggage can be offered to HBO ticket holders.
- At the gate when a call is made as a way to free up space in the cabin and overhead lockers when it becomes apparent there may be issues securing space for everyone who's turned up.
- In the terminal at the check-in desk on particularly busy services where BA knows in advance that they're going to be operating full, they generally send a text in the hours leading up to OLCI opening inviting you to do so.
Just because someone has bought you a bottle of bubbly that you're trying to get around the liquids policy wouldn't really qualify as a reason to open up the above to you.
You're not able to gate check because you have liquid over 100ml and the flights not warranted as being busy enough to have the official waiver applied (presumably this would require some sort of supervisory sign off as a lost revenue stream?)
As you point out, sometimes plans change. BA allow for this in their fare structures allowing you to buy restricted or flexible fares with or without baggage. You are able to add on checked baggage after ticket purchase and at a lower rate than when OLCI opened. Or pay at the airport at a slightly higher rate. But I'm guessing you didn't want to do either of these.
It sounds as though the check in agent made a discretionary decision and allowed you to check your bag in the terminal for free. They didn't have to do this to you on a HBO fare which I think was a good call for all concerned.