Jzlerner

Hello,
I'm flying in the summer MIA-JFK 28/08, JFK-LHR 28/08 (Arr 29/08), LHR-TLV 29/08. I'm intending to go home during my 10 hour layover at LHR. Throughout this whole trip originating in MIA I'm flying with 1 suitcase. Would it be possible to check in an additional suitcase when I return for the last leg of the connection LHR-TLV? I have the baggage allowance, just wondering whether BA systems would cause problems. If it makes a difference the first two flights are AA and last one is BA, all booked via ba.com on same reservation. I need answers from people with similar experiences cos if I have to leave the bag in London im screwed and the only other way to do it is schlep a case to MIA at the beggining of the summer which is not my idea of fun.

golfmad

That will not be a problem. You can check in an additional item in LHR when you arrive back at the airport before your TLV flight.

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,


You can definately check a bag in during your stop over ( within your baggage allowance)

Regards

TBS
Ah Typing too slow again

Jzlerner

Not to say I don't believe you... But just in case they're not happy with this which I'm expecting, does anyone have any proof to back up that this will be allowed? Any specific policy or something?

golfmad

This is not a questionable practice but I doubt there will be anything written specifically that covers this scenario. I have done it many times. It will be fine. If you're really concerned about it, ask BA via Chat, Twitter or telephone and they will confirm it for you.

Jzlerner

Thats exactly what I'm concerned about! I asked BA when I booked it on twitter, chat and phone. 2/3 said not possible 1/3 said only possible if you short check bags to lhr, collect one and then drop off two when return. I asked how to ensure bags are short checked as this isn't policy, she said you can't. So I'm stuck not knowing what to do. Perhaps speaking to someone next time I'm in LHR T5 will help?

golfmad

I don't think they understood your question!

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

I would trust golfmad and that there will be no problems.

Unfortunately, there seems to be an increasing number of cases being reported here ( maybe just my perception) that BA chat/twitter/phone agents are giving out incorrect answers ( perhaps lack of training/experience or misunderstanding the question) compared to here on FT

Regards

TBS

Jzlerner

I'm not doubting that you have more experience than me and definitely more than the ground staff, what I'm concerned about is getting turned away with that case due to the staff thinking or being told it's not possible. As aforementioned, I cannot afford to leave this case behind so need assurances. Also to be clear and to avoid any confusion I'm talking about 1 case MIA-JFK-LHR and 1 additional case (2 total) LHR-TLV. I'll be on a CW ticket so not worried about allowances, worried about BA crappy staff knowledge and crappy systems

golfmad

Don't you mean 1 case MIA-JFK-LHR-TLV and the the other LHR-TLV? Or do you really want to short-check the first bag just to LHR? Perhaps that's where some of the confusion arose and why the issue of short-checking came up which doesn't seem relevant.

Globaliser

If you absolutely cannot afford to not have the additional bag with you on LHR-TLV, then you need to think about another possible situation: what if your JFK-LHR flight is badly delayed? AA will try to rebook you to minimise your arrival delay at TLV, but it could leave you with insufficient time to get home, get the bag, and get back to LHR in time to drop it before the LHR-TLV flight. In that situation, would you deliberately delay your LHR-TLV flight, too? You may encounter some resistance if you insist on that being rebooked when it would be a voluntary change.

Beyond that, you're probably not going to get any more or better assurances here than you are getting from those of us who have done this and similar things repeatedly. Would you accept an answer from an FTer who's a BA insider and knows what check-in can do? We do have some regulars who fit that description.

corporate-wage-slave

You attach quite a lot of weight to the statement of agents who may never have been near an airport, versus the experiences of people who fly monthly / weekly / multiple times each week. Always check here for questions of that sort, you are more likely to get an accurate answer, and it will be faster too.

You have a baggage allowance of X bags. That's the maximum free allowance, you can check more in for an additional fee. You can add the bags in the USA or the UK. Short checking bags isn't reliable, unless you have an overnight stay, agents are told not to allow this. In reality you can actually get your bags back in LHR if you ask. In terms of adding bags at LHR this is a very frequent activity anyway as people want to get rid of bags of duty free items before security, to give one example of very many. Pre pandemic BA occasionally had a crackdown on people bringing extra sized rollaboards fhrough flight connections, they would have to check them in at Flight Connections, there's a belt there just for this. Ditto at the gate, ditto at the 2 customer service desks airside in T5A (but not B or C for obvious reasons). So what you are doing is completely fine, and won't even bat an eyelid. Particularly at the self check-in machines since they don't have eye lids. Bear in mind while BA wants to distinguish on fares at booking, when it comes to on the day, they want to maximise hold luggage versus cabin luggage, to prevent pressures elsewhere.

Jzlerner

Well thanks for everyone's help. I guess there's only one way to find out!

flying_geek

Never had a problem. Not even the hint of questioning it. Most recently done on Monday. There (I would hope) isn't a policy about how often one can use the bathroom during layovers either - yet using it as often as you want or need is not really a question. Even if the twitter people said it's only once an hour

mikebg

I can add my own input to this. I have done this many times without the slightest problem. When you checkin at LHR they will see on their screen how many bags you have already checked in and how many more you are permitted.