Early check in

Was just wondering what the earliest you have ever checked in was?


It seems that you are allowed to check in up to 4 hours before your flight, but at LHR the desks don't distinguish between flights. Anyone ever checked their bags in before 9am? I plan to do this and then pop out elsewhere to get some stuff done before going flightside.

Any comments will be welcomed.

Well I know some people here have done the midnight check in(?) at LGW.

Sadly, that is not possible for me. I will do OLCI, but dropping bags off at around 8am for a 1pm flight would be nice.

I think you'll find lots of people who check in for HKG flights at 7am, and then spend the day running round London without luggage, to then turn up at the clubhouse for a few hours (and a treatment or two) to get the best of all worlds.
Twilight Check-in at LGW is fantastic, as you head straight to the security lines the morning you travel, without the diversion to Zone A (and the crowds awaiting you there)

And returning from HKG, you can do in-town check-in at the train station, and spend the day wandering Hong Kong unencumbered, then take the train straight to the airport! Very Nice!!!

[honey lamb]

Originally posted by Juliet

And returning from HKG, you can do in-town check-in at the train station, and spend the day wandering Hong Kong unencumbered, then take the train straight to the airport! Very Nice!!!

Oooh! I was just going to post and ask that very question about checking in at the Airport Express station, but you've already answered it. Thanks. [y]

Originally posted by honey lamb

Originally posted by Juliet

And returning from HKG, you can do in-town check-in at the train station, and spend the day wandering Hong Kong unencumbered, then take the train straight to the airport! Very Nice!!!

Oooh! I was just going to post and ask that very question about checking in at the Airport Express station, but you've already answered it. Thanks. [y]

My Pleasure! Very easy, especially if you are staying near either KOWLOON or Hong Kong station.... although a taxi is usually ok if you don't have a case on wheels...

LHR opens @6am and you can check in for any flight that day..

I've done this a few times if im working so that I dont have to worry so much about rush hour travel after work etc to LHR later that day

Thanks guys, that answers my question nicely. I will check in at 8am and be back before 11am (just in time for a treatment )

Originally posted by Juliet
I think you'll find lots of people who check in for HKG flights at 7am, and then spend the day running round London without luggage, to then turn up at the clubhouse for a few hours (and a treatment or two) to get the best of all worlds.

Does Virgin let you do this? I am flying to HKG from LHR and I was jostling with this very question of how about's to best do this - in that I would like to wander around London before the flight departure at 2230 and thought Virgin would be difficult about letting me check in like 10 or 12 hours before - are you telling me this isn't the case and furthermore, if I was to pursue your method of checking in earlier, should I do this all new Online Check In Business or Check In the Traditional Way if I want to benefit of checking in earlier?!

Online Check-in allows you to do the nitty gritty of Check-in (and chosing your seat, if you need to) from 23 hours and 59 minutes before your flight up to 2 hours before your flight. However, you still need to see an agent to collect your boarding card and drop off your bags.

To be sure you don't get stuck in a queue (if you are travelling in Economy) do online check-in the day before, then whenever you turn up at the airport and drop off the bags, collect your boarding card.

If you leave the airport prior to going to the departures lounge, be aware that if something prevents you from getting to the gate on time, your bags will be removed from the aircraft (so try not to get stuck in town and miss your flight!) and if anything suspect is found they will be fully screened, and if necessary, destroyed. (onlyl in extreme cases, but you get the picture)

I hope this helps.

Originally posted by Juliet
To be sure you don't get stuck in a queue (if you are travelling in Economy) do online check-in the day before, then whenever you turn up at the airport and drop off the bags, collect your boarding card.

Many thanks for your response but my question is essentially:
When am I allowed to do this "Fast Bag Drop"? Am I to understand I can do this anytime AFTER the Online Check In process has been completed - therefore making it possible to drop of my bags 23 hours before the flight?

Are they really happy to accept my "Fast Bag Drop" 12 hours before the flights scheduled departure?

The fast bag drop can only be used on the day your flight departs, so if you do Online Check-in at 2331 for the HKG flight, you can drop your bags as early as (6am?) check-in opens in the morning, and collect your boarding cards..

AFAIK, you can check in for all flights alll day at LHR, but there are certain times of day it can get very busy, and the Nigerian Route, if you have your full allocation of luggage at the full allocated weight, they may ask you to wait until the scales are set up to ensure no oversized/overweight luggage.

Many thanks for your very prompt and accurate response, Air Travel has changed a lot and I am just getting used to it all - who would've thought my 600DPI printer can now print Boarding Passes?! Furthermore, online check in?!?! I still remember when you had to manually do it at the airport and Queue for an hour!

You can check in from 6am on the day for any flight at LHR and get rid of your bags. You can only use bag drop on the day of departure even if you checked in the day before on line.

It serves no purpose to only open check in a certain amount of hours before each flight. Esepecially for those on conx.

Originally posted by Juliet
AFAIK, you can check in for all flights alll day at LHR, but there are certain times of day it can get very busy, and the Nigerian Route, if you have your full allocation of luggage at the full allocated weight, they may ask you to wait until the scales are set up to ensure no oversized/overweight luggage.

No this is not done anymore. And in fact when there was the LOS weigh in you could turn up at any time and check in straight away.

Just be reading some comments about Virgin online checkin in another forum; it said that you should still get to the airport very early to ensure that you on the flight in case they overbook.

I was planning on using online checkin (the day before) and arriving at Gatwick with my family 2.5 hours before flight departure (booked meet and greet). Should I be looking to get there earlier - I did telephone VA and spoke to the call centre, I did not get a warm feeling when he said 90 minutes hence I increased it to 2.5 hours.

Sorry the if question is a little diversion from this topic

[Nottingham Nick]

I have never heard of anyone using OLCI and then getting an involunatary offload / downgrade.

I am not saying it won't happen, but I would have thought the odd against it are so long, that it isn't worth worrying about.

What 'other forum' are you talking about, do you have a link?

Nick