Flying from Gatwick

[Ann B]

Hi

I am looking for some advice about flying from Gatwick.
We are flying to Orlando from Gatwick in July with BA for the first time - we usually go from Manchester with virgin. We will be flying to Gatwick the evening before from Scotland.
I have heard about twilight check in but I am not too sure how it works. Is it worth doing if we check in before we leave home or should we just do bag drop in the morning?
We will have an overnight bag so would we be able to add this in the morning if we use twilight check in?
We are staying at the Gatwick Premier Inn the night before we fly. Is this close to the terminal?
Sorry for all the questions but I need to get it straight in my head what we are going to do!!
Thanks in advance

Ann

 

[kristieuk]

Haven't stayed at the Premier Inn so not much help there I am afraid.

In terms of twilight check-in, we do this with BA every year, and it's much easier than checking in on the day you fly. However, I don't think it is possible to add to your bags the following day, any overnight items will form part of your hand luggage, so just be aware with liquids etc.

You literally just go to one of BA check in desks in Zone F (I think!) and get your boarding cards and they take your luggage there and then. You simply have to be at the gate for your flight half an hour or so before departure the following day so no queueing or rushing.

Hope that helps a little

 

[Ann B]

Thanks KirstieUK that is very helpful.
Does anyone know the hours in which you can do twilight check-in?
Thanks

 

[kristieuk]

I couldn't see the answer on the BA site, but we usually arrive at about 4pm and drop our bags straight away. I have a feeling it is something like 4pm - 10pm, but obviously do check.

 

[Ann B]

I couldn't see the answer on the BA site, but we usually arrive at about 4pm and drop our bags straight away. I have a feeling it is something like 4pm - 10pm, but obviously do check.

Thanks, I can't find it on their website either!

 

[fuse04]

I couldn't see the answer on the BA site, but we usually arrive at about 4pm and drop our bags straight away. I have a feeling it is something like 4pm - 10pm, but obviously do check.

Can check in on line 24 hours before or can do twilight check at the airport after 4pm; cannot checkin on line and then dump bags at airport later that day though

 

[kristieuk]

Can check in on line 24 hours before or can do twilight check at the airport after 4pm; cannot checkin on line and then dump bags at airport later that day though

I'm not sure if I have misunderstood you, but every year for the past 6 years or maybe longer we have checked in online the day before we fly (before we leave home at about 1pm), then after a 3 hour drive to Gatwick, go to the bag drop and leave our cases for our flight the next day. Never been an issue

 

[fuse04]

I'm not sure if I have misunderstood you, but every year for the past 6 years or maybe longer we have checked in online the day before we fly (before we leave home at about 1pm), then after a 3 hour drive to Gatwick, go to the bag drop and leave our cases for our flight the next day. Never been an issue

Thats very interesting, was that with BA ? I wrtoe to BA in Dec asking if we could check in online and then deposit our luggage later that day at Gatwick, the response was

"Thank you for writing back to us.

If you wish to use the early check-in service at London Gatwick, I am afraid, you will not be able to check in online.

All customers using this facility will need to present themselves, their documents and all their checked baggage as though they were about to travel. They will be asked to use the Self-Service Check-in kiosks at Zone D, and then proceed to drop their bags at the Fast Bag Drop Desks in Zone D.

Unfortunately, for security reasons, we will not be able to check-in non-present members of families/groups."



Do you think it is worth me writing to them again?

 

[kristieuk]

I think there is a misunderstanding of your question in BA's response. They seem to be responding as if you were checking in online, printing boarding passes and going straight to fast bag drop off where you can literally just drop your bags and go straight to departures

We check in online just to secure our seats at the earliest possible time, but when we go to the airport we do go through what is basically the full check in process at the desk, save that we have our boarding passes to show the seats we have allocated. This has never been a problem - we last did it in Nov 2009. I'm not sure if anything has changed, but I don't see how logistically the fact you have checked in online would preclude you from day before check in?

 

[kristieuk]

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/gsanswer/public/en_gb?p_faqid=1297&gsLink=searchResults


In reality, we have never used the self service check in, it's usually very quiet at this time of day, and we simply go to a desk and follow the usual check-in process. I don't think you will have any difficulty, checking in online does nothing that would affect this process, and it has never been an issue for us in, as I say, at least 6 years of flying with BA.

Good luck!

 

[fuse04]

I

We check in online just to secure our seats at the earliest possible time, but when we go to the airport we do go through what is basically the full check in process at the desk, save that we have our boarding passes to show the seats we have allocated. This has never been a problem - we last did it in Nov 2009. I'm not sure if anything has changed, but I don't see how logistically the fact you have checked in online would preclude you from day before check in?

Thanks that sounds just what we want to do.

sorry for just chrecking I understand....So we just check in online printing our passes within 24 hours before the flight. Having done this, the same day we go to Gatwick and go to the normal BA check in desks (assuming after 4pm) show our boarding passes/tickets, hand the luggage over to be weighed and tagged. Then we can go to our hotel ready for the flight the following morning?

 

[kristieuk]

Well, that is the way we have always done it. Last year, we hadn't printed our boarding passes as the printer was playing up, but when we went to the check in desk, they swiped the passports and could see we had checked in online and reserved our seats. They printed the passes for us.

I believe BA only offer this service at Gatwick, which is maybe why you had the response you did. I don't know, but yes, once you have handed over your cases, that's it, you just need to be at the boarding gate in time for the departure.

It may be worth giving them a ring just to check they haven't had a change of policy, but I would be very surprised as there seems to be no logical reason why you can't do both.

 

[fuse04]

Many thanks once again I will give them a call and let you know