LHR check in time and lounge
Mar 27, 2024, 5:41 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: Aegean
Posts: 66
LHR check in time and lounge
Soon I have a flight from LHR to AMS with KLM on a late Sunday afternoon as a Flying Blue Platinum member in economy. As I have to leave my hotel room at noon and have to do some work to be done, I thought of getting to Heathrow early, check in my bag and get to the lounge early to do the work. Is this all possible for this situation? With many AF/KL flights from LHR I thought the check in desks would be open all day, but was refused to check in more then 2 hours before the flight departure before at some other European airports. And if I remember correctly the Plaza Premium lounge is only for a maximum amount of time to stay in? Or is that only for paying costumers and not for eligable business/gold/platinum guests?
Mar 27, 2024, 12:14 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,741
Check the times of other earlier AF and KL flights scheduled to depart from LHR that day. Then go to the joint AFKL check-in area while you know it's open for an earlier flight.
Mar 27, 2024, 9:44 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,928
Unless it has changed, but before Covid, I have been refused to check bags on AF at LHR more than 2hrs before flight.
Mar 28, 2024, 10:47 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: FB, M&B, UA, AA
Posts: 2,489
Never tried this at LHR. At Tunis I could not get my BP (can't check in online there) till opening check in desks for the flight I had (arrived early when they just closed their earlier flight but they refused to give the BP while I think they could have). In Paris I arrived 14:00 being e-checked in for a flight of 20:30 and no issues to use the lounge so early (which was great since some e-meetings to do, which I now could do with free catering while otherwise I would be in some corner of the lobby of my hotel). No experience with early luggage drop off since travel hand luggage only.
Mar 28, 2024, 4:11 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 145
Soon I have a flight from LHR to AMS with KLM on a late Sunday afternoon as a Flying Blue Platinum member in economy. As I have to leave my hotel room at noon and have to do some work to be done, I thought of getting to Heathrow early, check in my bag and get to the lounge early to do the work. Is this all possible for this situation? With many AF/KL flights from LHR I thought the check in desks would be open all day, but was refused to check in more then 2 hours before the flight departure before at some other European airports. And if I remember correctly the Plaza Premium lounge is only for a maximum amount of time to stay in? Or is that only for paying costumers and not for eligable business/gold/platinum guests?
The lounge was very very busy at that time although it did get quieter a bit later. I thought the food in the lounge was quite nice though.
Apr 7, 2024, 1:21 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: Aegean
Posts: 66
Thank you all for the replies. I indeed had a limit on check in/bag drop at other (European) airports too while the desks where open for other AF or KL flights. This was in Milan and Lisbon. On the other hand no problems in Berlin, Barcelona and obviously Amsterdam and CDG. So it seems I can only check in and drop my bag three hours for departure at Heathrow.