V-Flyer

Hello,

Our next travel plans have us arriving at LHR on VS026 at 19:10 on Friday night, staying overnight at the Heathrow Hilton (T4), and departing on VS601 to JNB at 20:25 on Saturday. We plan to take a bus over to Windsor during the day on Saturday before coming back to LHR for our flight.

I know that we can stow our bags at the hotel for the day, but the bus station is in T3, along with Virgin, of course. Rather than schlep back over to T4 again to pick up the bags and return to T3, can we check in for the VS 601 flight and drop our checked bags in the morning before heading out for the day?

Thanks

JFK-LHR VS026, 20th April UC
[countdown]Apr 20, 2007 7:30:00 AM[/countdown]
LHR-JNB VS601, 21st April PE
[countdown]Apr 21, 2007 8:25:00 PM[/countdown]
JNB-LHR VS602, 4th May PE
[countdown]May 4, 2007 9:00:00 PM[/countdown]
LHR-JFK VS003, 5th May UC
[countdown]May 5, 2007 9:30:00 AM[/countdown]

I believe it is entirely possible. I understand many business men for example, check in first thing in the morning for the late night HKG flight

Oh, and welcome to V-Flyer

The check in opens at 6am-ish so you can check your bags in anytime after that.

Welcome to the forum! [y]

Dominic

As others have said, VS check-in at Heathrow opens at about 6am for all flights that day. Sure, VS would like you to only check in about 3 or 4 hours before your flight - but more than a few people check in [very] early - and head into London for the day, whilst leaving VS to look after their baggage.

Welcome to V Flyer, enjoy the trip.

Ian

Originally posted by Pookaa
Hello,

Our next travel plans have us arriving at LHR on VS026 at 19:10 on Friday night, staying overnight at the Heathrow Hilton (T4), and departing on VS601 to JNB at 20:25 on Saturday. We plan to take a bus over to Windsor during the day on Saturday before coming back to LHR for our flight.

I know that we can stow our bags at the hotel for the day, but the bus station is in T3, along with Virgin, of course. Rather than schlep back over to T4 again to pick up the bags and return to T3, can we check in for the VS 601 flight and drop our checked bags in the morning before heading out for the day?

Thanks

JFK-LHR VS026, 20th April UC
[countdown]Apr 20, 2007 7:30:00 AM[/countdown]
LHR-JNB VS601, 21st April PE
[countdown]Apr 21, 2007 8:25:00 PM[/countdown]
JNB-LHR VS602, 4th May PE
[countdown]May 4, 2007 9:00:00 PM[/countdown]
LHR-JFK VS003, 5th May UC
[countdown]May 5, 2007 9:30:00 AM[/countdown]

Thanks much for the feedback. We'll let VS watch the bags for us for the day.

Although I am torn between sightseeing at Windsor and spending the day at the CH! [:D]


JFK-LHR VS026, 20th April UC
[countdown]Apr 20, 2007 7:30:00 AM[/countdown]
LHR-JNB VS601, 21st April PE
[countdown]Apr 21, 2007 8:25:00 PM[/countdown]
JNB-LHR VS602, 4th May PE
[countdown]May 4, 2007 9:00:00 PM[/countdown]
LHR-JFK VS003, 5th May UC
[countdown]May 5, 2007 9:30:00 AM[/countdown]

Originally posted by Pookaa
Although I am torn between sightseeing at Windsor and spending the day at the CH! [:D]

Do both! From my experience, as wonderful as the Clubhouse is, I have found that when we have had a layover of about 4-5 hours, it does begin to get - dare I say it - a little bit boring. When we were leaving on a 21:00 flight and arrived in the Clubhouse at 18:00 from our connecting flight it was fine. We have often arrived in the Clubhouse at around 09:30 for a 14:00 flight and it does begin to drag

If you do drop your bags off in the morning please tell the agent you are leaving the airport and are returning for the flight

Sorry to re-open an old thread but this is the most relevant thread from my search.

I'm wanting to check in at 6.15ish am for the VS17 to EWR that evening. I have just checked with flying club and they said that yes you can however I would not be allowed to leave the airport...

She did however point out 'who would know'

Does anyone have practical experience of such an early check in and then leaving the airport? I was hoping to avoid having to have bags in tow from work on a Friday evening...

can't see a problem. Lipstick was a staff insider in check in and the advice to mention you are leaving the airport is I believe sound.

if you want to abide by the rules there is a left luggage drop off at T3 arrivals this works out at about £6:50 per item per 24hrs and if you drop them off on arrival it will save you dragging them to the Hilton at T4

Originally posted by Bean Counter
can't see a problem. Lipstick was a staff insider in check in and the advice to mention you are leaving the airport is I believe sound.

Hmmm OK - My concern is that the person I spoke to at flying club yesterday specifically said (after checking with someone else) that it was OK to check in in the morning but that once the bags are checked in regulations said that I am not supposed to leave the airport site...

I am just a bit concerned that if it would be down to the check in agents discretion to allow this then I would not want to get over to LHR at the crack of dawn to check in only to be told that I can't and have to carry my bags back in to London for the day and then struggle to get them back in the evening on time...

[url=http://www.heathrowairport.com/portal/controller/dispatcher.jsp?CiID=c26782db372f3110VgnVCM10000036821c0a____&CtID=448c6a4c7f1b0010VgnVCM200000357e120a____&ChPath=Heathrow^Terminal3^Airport%20information^Terminal%20information^Left%20baggage&location=Terminal3]T3 link[/url]

I can't remember the thread on here - but basically, if you check-in at LHR in the morning for an evening flight [& plan to leave the airport, as you do] tell them at check-in. I think they tag your bags differently so they don't get automatically loaded into a container for the baggage hold of your flight - they leave your bags to be added later when they know you have returned to the airport [to save having to locate them should you not turn up].

I am 99% sure someone said that if you do this, when you get to the gate for your flight, make yourself known to the staff there & tell then to get your bags loaded into the hold. You may even get lucky if you're in Y and all the Y bins have been loaded... your bags may make it into the J/W or Transfer bags bin & be out faster at the other end.