Originally Posted by
CCayley
Indeed. I was caught out by this flying to Istanbul this weekend. My up to the minute data point - flying out to IST on Thursday all wheelies were checked at Heathrow but on board the crew were happy to allow those whose bags had survived this process to use the overhead lockers. Yesterday's BA677 from IST was, however, an object lesson in who really counts at BA. We boarded, the gate was swung away, and the crew came down opening every bin and forcing everyone (except row 1) who had attempted to use them to put anything other than duty free carriers under the seat. Then the gate was re-attached and we waited a good half hour for "two passengers who through no fault of their own" (per the pilot) had been delayed at passport control. Eventually two uniformed BA flight crew sauntered on to the 'plane carrying enormous (no way carry-on limit compliant) wheelies, placed them in the overheads without a word from the cabin crew, and took their seats, leaving the flight crew to try to make up the lost time on the flight back. So the moral is, if you like the idea of flights being held for you, don't bother persuading BA to give you a Premier card, just qualify as a pilot!
Thanks for sharing - I can only assume that the BA flight crew sanitized the wheels of their trolley cases vigorously prior to boarding the aircraft
What is interesting is that when I asked BA customer services in Turkey if I could check in my cabin bag (non-wheeled backpack that won't fit under the seat in front) and only bring my laptop bag on board the plane they said I'd need to pay to check it in unless I get the 'your flight is busy' email from BA. The overhead bin inspection mentioned above completely contradicts what BA CS told me earlier today, Now I have to contingency pack so that my large rucksack doesn't have any breakables/valuables in case it ends up going in the hold. Can't believe I've had to figure all this out by myself and not a peep from BA on the matter.
Funnily enough on the LHR to IST leg, I had to put my backpack inside my large suitcase after the BA check in agent said only my laptop bag would be allowed on the plane and stowed under the seat in front. This meant my large suitcase was 3kg overweight and she actually said "I'll let it go this time"
I should have said "I'll let go only being able to take my 2kg laptop bag on board so we can call it even"