When flying out of LHR, due to the severe limitations of the baggage system, as a general rule, bags can only be accepted, regardless of the class of travel:

3 hours before a long-haul flight
2.5 hours before a short-haul flight

There is some sort of discretion with long-haul flights when the airport systems are not so busy and the check-in agent will see remarks in the "Flight Header Line" such as "Okay to accept bags 14.45". Similarly, "First" and "Club World" (but not Gold/Silver/Emerald/Sapphire cardholders travelling WT, WT+ or ET bags as that would definitely swamp an overloaded system) bags may be accepted a little earlier providing the baggage supervisors are aware the bags are coming! (.....otherwise the baggage disappearing into the LHR "black hole" is a very real possibility!)

As I sometimes remark to my customers - "It's easy enough for our guys to lose your bags without helping them to do it!"



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