wrp96

The bag drop limit times are frequently a function of the airport itself, not the airline. They just don't have the room to store that many bags. FLL is another airport similar to SEA where no airline will take bags more than 4 hours in advance. It's an airport rule, not an airline rule.

notquiteaff

Given that AA has a 4 hr rule at some airports, but not all, and AS has a 4 hr rule at all airports, it doesn’t seem like it’s just an airport rule. But different airlines may choose to set a consistent rule across all airports to keep things simple and others may offer more flexibility.

aznichiro115

Tell me you are entitled without telling me you're entitled.
It has nothing to do with how busy the ticket counter is, but with where to put your bag once it is sent down the belt.

beckoa

Many moons ago I learned about the 4 hour rule.

It is nice when other airlnes like CX offer in-town check in and bsg drop. Iirc i did this in Seoul too one.

I do not expect AS to change this either; they do not even work with the remote drop off in TPA.

mrnewton

I witnessed a similar incident at JFK T7 in December of 2022. An older couple (man with cane so perhaps didn't want to cart luggage around) wanted to check bags around 11 AM. They were booked on the 4:40 PM SFO flight and were in paid First (I know details because the man engaged me in conversation complaining about the agent's refusal to check their bags even though they were in paid First). I later saw them in the lounge and although the man was still upset, he was still upset and said the agent finally relented.
About an hour had passed since our initial encounter, so I don't think they had to wait the full four hours but perhaps were granted some leeway.

Aliquot

I wonder if his bag showed up at bag claim as scheduled.

RatherGhastly

Just by way of another data point, I flew AS 710 SEA-DEN last Monday. It was a 16:36 flight, but I was travelling to the airport with a friend who had an 11:40 flight and therefore arrived substantially before the 4-hour limit. I was able to check-in my luggage around 09:30, leaving me unencumbered to take the bus to the Museum of Flight. I simply went to the FC counter, asking to check in for AS 710, and my luggage was accepted and a boarding pass printed. Explanations for why I was so early were neither requested nor proffered. And my suitcase showed up at the bag-claim in Denver as expected.

beckoa

Did you buy your lottery ticket?

Congrats

bilofsky

Try both the kiosks and the desk.

The JetBlue kiosks at FLL wouldn't issue bag tags when we arrived 10 hours before flight time after a cruise. An agent at the Mosaic/Mint counter was sympathetic and offered 8 hours advance as a courtesy, instead of 6 - so they do have discretion. But when we returned he had left, and both the new agent and the manager were only concerned with their procedures and unsympathetic to hostile to any pax who wanted otherwise.

On a hunch, I tried the kiosk again at 7:40 before flight time, and it spit out bag tags. I was tempted to take them to the Mosaic/Mint counter but prudence prevailed and the regular bag drop took the bags.

To be fair - the manager had explained that outside 6 hours there was no baggage cart for the flight, so the bags would go around and around the belt and someone might take them off and forget to put them back on. That doesn't excuse the hostility though. And our bags were on our flight.

beckoa

That presents an interesting question... if one has an EBT, will AS' system allow these to be accepted in excess of 4 hours?

Another technique to use is take your excess baggage through TSA and gate check it closer to the flight departure (needs to fit thru screener and not have any TSA prohibited items). I did this for SFO last month; not due to the timing, but went to SFO AMEX CL first (entering security over there). It did mean I could not get everything I wanted due to liquid restrictions, but was ok with that.