stb1001

My wife and I flying LHR-AUS on Friday at 12:00 from terminal 5 in First and we weren't sure what time bag drop opens. When I have flown First with Emirates or Etihad bag drop typically is 3 hours before the flight departs but BA website indicate bag drop opens from 5am. Ideally we would like to drop bag at 8am.

Any feedback greatly appreciated

itsmeitisss

As a First customer you can drop your bags from 5am.

madfish

You’ll be fine to drop off any time from 5am.

LCY8737

First can check in anytime at LHR. Terminal opens at 5am, so checking in at 8am is perfectly fine.

madfish

stb1001

Thank you all for your quick replies - what a helpful bunch - thank you

Airprox

It's still the case if you use the self service bag drop machines (Zone C?).

jerub

They still have signs up announcing this 'trial'. For the last year or so it feels like!

KARFA

It's still ongoing to the extent that economy and non-status passengers can bag drop from 5am if they use the self-service bag drop machines.

thebigben

I am in Heathrow T5 today and there is a sign mentioning that all customers can check-in at any time on the same day (as a trial). I should've taken a picture but now I'm airside

flatlander

I might guess that the trial will continue to be a trial over the summer, and then become permanent if early bag arrivals don't cause problems at the busiest days of the year.

It's easier to leave a temporary trial running for a long time than to announce a permanent policy and revert it. Once you announce a fixed checkin time or opening time for an airport, it becomes embedded in a lot of documents and websites and is very difficult to update.

Gomac

I suppose it suits HAL to have people airside and spending money. Although last week I still saw a lot of people sitting on the seats all around check in with big cases so presumed this trial was finished.

corporate-wage-slave

Yes, I've seen this too, and from what I can make out these are people who know about the 3 hour restriction (for example if they printed out their booking) and just don't notice the fairly large signs up about the trial. A few weeks ago I was chatting to a BA agent I know and someone came up to us, explaining his children were getting uncomfortable with the wait, and could he ask for a special favour to be allowed to check in early. The three of us were standing in front of the sign concerned, it was pointed out to him, the father was shocked he had spent an hour unnecessarily at the back of the hall.

Some people however are waiting for other people in their party to arrive (e.g. sorting out parking) and a few simply aren't prepared to use the machines, and would rather wait.

flatlander

Can you check in oversize or unusual baggage at the automated kiosks? Skis, large poster tubes, tubas, etc?

Meanwhile, I'm sure HAL benefits from spending in shops airside, but they are also there to provide a passenger service and they (at least some of them) do care about people! It's just not very nice to sit waiting to check in compared to relaxing airside and HAL may, surprising though it is to some, being nice.