Berlin check-in closure time 1 hour before departure
 

I arrived at the check-in counter 57 minutes before departure today (the check-in agent later made a big deal out of her claim that I was supposedly "6 minutes too late", but anyway).

According to https://www.britishairways.com/en-de...g/checking-in# check in would have had to remain open at least until 45 minutes before departure.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...732b6973ce.png


Not that it made any difference, but I'm BA Gold and flying Club Europe, booked to LCY. The airport wasn't busy at all, I would have easily made the flight even if they had given me a boarding pass 30 minutes before departure - but clearly, they weren't willing to help.

I received a bunch of pre-departure e-mails from BA (related to Covid formalities), as well as of course the booking confirmation.

Not in a single one of them was it stated that check-in would close 1 hour before departure (which I would deem highly unusual, even in current times).

The Swissport agents (to say they were unempathetic is a massive understatement, saying they were indifferent to a degree of being hostile would be more accurate) claimed that "BA told them so and they must not deviate from these rules".

Trying to call BA was a total disaster, got kicked off the line after a long wait. Finally managed to call BA Exec Club Germany, but by that time, clearly, the ship had sailed in terms of still trying to get on the originally booked flight. At least they rebooked me to LHR.

But now I have to book a new Covid test (not possible at LHR anymore tonight), have to somehow manage to get from LHR to Canary Wharf at my own expense, all kinds of inconvenience.

Sorry, had to describe this experience, partly to vent, but also to warn other passengers flying BA from Berlin that this is going on.

Extra cost for me is about 200 GBP for an additional rapid PCR test as well as to book a car from LHR to Canary Wharf (where I have meetings tomorrow). Super annoying - all because of being a few minutes "late" when I wasn't even late, according to BA's own official communication. And I am wasting hours tonight and then again tomorrow morning to get the rapid PCR. Very bad experience with BA and with their local Swissport check-in agents in Berlin.

This is very poor - 45min should be the cut-off indeed.

BER is a check-in disaster right now.

LH advises passengers to be at the airport four hours before departure (which is actually causing the long check-in/security queues at the moment)

I'm not an expert, but this would appear quite a simple case for 261/2004 given you were incorrectly denied boarding?

Why do you need to take a car from LHR to Canary Wharf. Tube and DLR. an do it in about 90 mi utes for around £5 or less than an hour on HEX and tube for under £30.

Also struggling to see why you need to sort out PCR tonight and tomorrow morning. With the new standards for PCR testing not awe of any tests that done tomorrow would be back in time for you to break quarantine in time for your meetings to,or row afternoon.

Not sure what it says in MMB about BER but pursue IDB with BA if you believe you were wrongly denied boarding for the LCY departure.

There is a 3 hour rapid PCR offering (marketed for people who are departing, but it's the same test method...). If that comes back negative, I consider myself cleared.

All of that, but mainly I need to do some work on my computer and make some calls.

I think you will find most or all providers of the rapid testing have withdrawn them as there’s different standards needed for departures and arrivals so whilst you might consider yourself clear if you use the wrong test you will be breaking self isolation but that’s down to you putting your meeting recipients at risk.

Good luck with your IDB claim.

Firms which has in-house accredited labs in London can offer 3-4 hours express PCR service. Normal PCR testing has no onsite lab and sending results via currier plus in these mega labs they are processing loads of tests. The actual analysis takes no time.
as for the op many PCR testing companies has options to reschedule testing or just call them and probably can fit you in. I don’t think you would need to book an another one.
I would complain ba after your trip and follow the process of IDB.

Thanks - what different standards do you mean, if I may ask? I would think that if a PCR test is good enough to travel abroad with it (I booked it from the official list of test providers from the gov.uk site), then I am not "putting people at risk" if I rely on it being negative. Just to get a Passenger Locator Form, I also booked one that will be mailed to the hotel I am staying at, but just like before, by the time it arrives, I will already be flying back.

What I find additionally annoying about this, is that when I came back from BER recently they didn't manage to open the desks until inside 2 hours to departure. So if they're insistent on closing them 1 hour prior to departure they're creating quite a small window.

“Putting people at risk” honestly...

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Ok so you are breaking the law by breaking self isolation to attend meetings without having a negative result back from your booked arrival test and deem yourself clear by taking a different test?

Not sure what the different standards are you’d need to ask the test company.

Maybe breaking the self isolation laws would be more appropriate by attending a meeting without the required test coming back as being clear.