Long stopover baggage question
Sep 17, 2015, 7:46 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: HKG, LHR, CDG
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Posts: 112
Long stopover baggage question
Hello, I have a layover with BA at Heathrow (both T5) for around 12 hours. I would like to go into London during the day, and I would like to kindly ask for your expertise regarding these two questions:
1. Can I collect my luggage after I arrive at Heathrow, and check it in again for my second flight? Can I request this specifically at my departure airport rather than to have my luggage checked straight through?
2. What is the actual maximum number of hours between connecting flights for luggage to be checked straight through? In other words, what is the maximum number of hours between connecting flights, before airport check-in staff ask you to collect luggage at transit and check it in again?
Thank you very much in advance for your reply.
1. Can I collect my luggage after I arrive at Heathrow, and check it in again for my second flight? Can I request this specifically at my departure airport rather than to have my luggage checked straight through?
2. What is the actual maximum number of hours between connecting flights for luggage to be checked straight through? In other words, what is the maximum number of hours between connecting flights, before airport check-in staff ask you to collect luggage at transit and check it in again?
Thank you very much in advance for your reply.
Sep 17, 2015, 7:51 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Gold
Posts: 1,073
Hello, I have a layover with BA at Heathrow (both T5) for around 12 hours. I would like to go into London during the day, and I would like to kindly ask for your expertise regarding these two questions:
1. Can I collect my luggage after I arrive at Heathrow, and check it in again for my second flight? Can I request this specifically at my departure airport rather than to have my luggage checked straight through?
2. What is the actual maximum number of hours between connecting flights for luggage to be checked straight through? In other words, what is the maximum number of hours between connecting flights, before airport check-in staff ask you to collect luggage at transit and check it in again?
Thank you very much in advance for your reply.
1. Can I collect my luggage after I arrive at Heathrow, and check it in again for my second flight? Can I request this specifically at my departure airport rather than to have my luggage checked straight through?
2. What is the actual maximum number of hours between connecting flights for luggage to be checked straight through? In other words, what is the maximum number of hours between connecting flights, before airport check-in staff ask you to collect luggage at transit and check it in again?
Thank you very much in advance for your reply.
1. As long as you can convince you really need the stuffs inside the bag(s) then the check-in agent MIGHT short-check your bag(s) at Heathrow. I don't think many agents do this nowadays given the fact that people ditch their connections all the time. Bear in mind that short-checking bags may mean extra handling fees.
2. If I am right the max hours is 24 hours. I think at T5 they store your bags in the system as long as your connecting flight is on the same booking or airline has an interline agreement with the other airline.
Hope these answer helps
Sep 17, 2015, 7:58 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: HKG, LHR, CDG
Programs: CX MPC GR, EK Skywards BL, QR Privelege Club SL
Posts: 112
Hello,
1. As long as you can convince you really need the stuffs inside the bag(s) then the check-in agent MIGHT short-check your bag(s) at Heathrow. I don't think many agents do this nowadays given the fact that people ditch their connections all the time. Bear in mind that short-checking bags may mean extra handling fees.
2. If I am right the max hours is 24 hours. I think at T5 they store your bags in the system as long as your connecting flight is on the same booking or airline has an interline agreement with the other airline.
Hope these answer helps
1. As long as you can convince you really need the stuffs inside the bag(s) then the check-in agent MIGHT short-check your bag(s) at Heathrow. I don't think many agents do this nowadays given the fact that people ditch their connections all the time. Bear in mind that short-checking bags may mean extra handling fees.
2. If I am right the max hours is 24 hours. I think at T5 they store your bags in the system as long as your connecting flight is on the same booking or airline has an interline agreement with the other airline.
Hope these answer helps
1. That sounds a bit annoying, so I see, it depends on the agent at check-in... and if it is permitted in the end, re-checking in luggage at LHR hopefully wouldn't be a problem?
2. Thanks for the info.
Sep 17, 2015, 8:09 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Gold
Posts: 1,073
Many thanks for your quick reply, there seem to be different answers online so I was trying to find out BA's exact policy on this.
1. That sounds a bit annoying, so I see, it depends on the agent at check-in... and if it is permitted in the end, re-checking in luggage at LHR hopefully wouldn't be a problem?
2. Thanks for the info.
1. That sounds a bit annoying, so I see, it depends on the agent at check-in... and if it is permitted in the end, re-checking in luggage at LHR hopefully wouldn't be a problem?
2. Thanks for the info.
2. Thank you ^_^
Sep 17, 2015, 8:10 am
#5
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Is there a reason why you need access to your bags at LHR?
If not just show your onward ticket at your departure airport and they will do the necessary with the tags.
ISTBC but unless you are fjying in first or business class then they won't accept bags more than 3 hours before scheduled departure if you do collect them and re-check them.
If not just show your onward ticket at your departure airport and they will do the necessary with the tags.
ISTBC but unless you are fjying in first or business class then they won't accept bags more than 3 hours before scheduled departure if you do collect them and re-check them.
Sep 17, 2015, 8:39 am
#6
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Join Date: Apr 2010
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Is there a reason why you need access to your bags at LHR?
If not just show your onward ticket at your departure airport and they will do the necessary with the tags.
ISTBC but unless you are fjying in first or business class then they won't accept bags more than 3 hours before scheduled departure if you do collect them and re-check them.
If not just show your onward ticket at your departure airport and they will do the necessary with the tags.
ISTBC but unless you are fjying in first or business class then they won't accept bags more than 3 hours before scheduled departure if you do collect them and re-check them.
Sep 17, 2015, 9:35 am
#7
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You've used the terms layover (which does not exist), stopover and connection, in the same post.
Unless you have made a special effort to book a stopover, you are on a connection at <24 hours. This means that your bags will be checked to their final destination. You may be able to convinced a helpful agent, but you should not count on it and there is nothing you can do in advance to make this happen.
Unfortunately, agents here stories every day and you are just stuck.
There is nothing which prohibits you from adding a bag at LHR and that may be what you want to do anyway.
Unless you have made a special effort to book a stopover, you are on a connection at <24 hours. This means that your bags will be checked to their final destination. You may be able to convinced a helpful agent, but you should not count on it and there is nothing you can do in advance to make this happen.
Unfortunately, agents here stories every day and you are just stuck.
There is nothing which prohibits you from adding a bag at LHR and that may be what you want to do anyway.
Sep 17, 2015, 10:13 am
#8
Join Date: May 2003
Location: TLL
Programs: OZ Diamond, BA Gold, Bonvoy Ambassador, HH Gold
Posts: 4,412
And it's the 24 hour mark that makes the difference? I have an SFO-LHR flight that arrives at 14:45 on January 2nd. My connecting flight to ATH is at 07:55 on January 3rd. I actually don't mind not having access to my bags, but it will change a bit what I bring in the carry-on.
Sep 17, 2015, 10:27 am
#9
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You've used the terms layover (which does not exist), stopover and connection, in the same post.
Unless you have made a special effort to book a stopover, you are on a connection at <24 hours. This means that your bags will be checked to their final destination. You may be able to convinced a helpful agent, but you should not count on it and there is nothing you can do in advance to make this happen.
Unfortunately, agents here stories every day and you are just stuck.
There is nothing which prohibits you from adding a bag at LHR and that may be what you want to do anyway.
Unless you have made a special effort to book a stopover, you are on a connection at <24 hours. This means that your bags will be checked to their final destination. You may be able to convinced a helpful agent, but you should not count on it and there is nothing you can do in advance to make this happen.
Unfortunately, agents here stories every day and you are just stuck.
There is nothing which prohibits you from adding a bag at LHR and that may be what you want to do anyway.
Sep 17, 2015, 10:27 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
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Posts: 6,111
A stopover is >24 hours, a connection is <24 hours. You have a connection.
You can request your bags back, which is more likely for an overnight. You could also, perhaps, request one bag back for the overnight stay and one checked through.
Be sure to verify how your bags have been checked and repack accordingly, be prepared to pull the overnight items out and carry them with you.
If you have sufficient luggage allowance, appropriate type of bag (perhaps a folding duffel), and suitable shopping (perhaps non-fragile items), you could carry a bag and check another bag in at LHR. You can always add bags during an itinerary up to the maximum of your allowance.
You can request your bags back, which is more likely for an overnight. You could also, perhaps, request one bag back for the overnight stay and one checked through.
Be sure to verify how your bags have been checked and repack accordingly, be prepared to pull the overnight items out and carry them with you.
If you have sufficient luggage allowance, appropriate type of bag (perhaps a folding duffel), and suitable shopping (perhaps non-fragile items), you could carry a bag and check another bag in at LHR. You can always add bags during an itinerary up to the maximum of your allowance.
Sep 17, 2015, 8:43 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: HKG, LHR, CDG
Programs: CX MPC GR, EK Skywards BL, QR Privelege Club SL
Posts: 112
A stopover is >24 hours, a connection is <24 hours. You have a connection.
You can request your bags back, which is more likely for an overnight. You could also, perhaps, request one bag back for the overnight stay and one checked through.
Be sure to verify how your bags have been checked and repack accordingly, be prepared to pull the overnight items out and carry them with you.
If you have sufficient luggage allowance, appropriate type of bag (perhaps a folding duffel), and suitable shopping (perhaps non-fragile items), you could carry a bag and check another bag in at LHR. You can always add bags during an itinerary up to the maximum of your allowance.
You can request your bags back, which is more likely for an overnight. You could also, perhaps, request one bag back for the overnight stay and one checked through.
Be sure to verify how your bags have been checked and repack accordingly, be prepared to pull the overnight items out and carry them with you.
If you have sufficient luggage allowance, appropriate type of bag (perhaps a folding duffel), and suitable shopping (perhaps non-fragile items), you could carry a bag and check another bag in at LHR. You can always add bags during an itinerary up to the maximum of your allowance.
Sep 17, 2015, 8:44 pm
#13
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Jan 6, 2016, 4:18 pm
#14
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 342
I have a variation on this question. I am flying LHR-AMS on BA and then AMS-DOH on QR on a separate ticket, I know BA is good at interlining luggage between separate tickets on OW (and it should help that I am OWE and in J), but I was thinking of flying out the evening before and having an evening in AMS rather than catching the first BA flight of the day (especially in winter). Will BA through-check luggage with an overnight in AMS on separate tickets?
I see that the OW website says
but I have a suspicion is that this is an American rule rather than a universal one. Does anyone have experience in this situation?
I see that the OW website says
If the time between connecting oneworld flights is more than 12 hours, you may need to collect your luggage on arrival and check-in again with the outbound carrier.
Jan 6, 2016, 5:35 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Have you maxed out your allowable checked baggage? I do this with great frequency - check bag through to final destination, leave my hand baggage at Left Luggage in T5, and then, if needed, just check an extra foldable duffle when arriving back at LHR.