British Airways Flights - Check-in Short Cuts

[myhat]

I know that Virgin have various ways of avoiding the need to arrive at Gatwick and Orlando airports three hour before the flight.

Does anyone know if BA operate a similar system eg on-line or twilight check-in? What about in Orlando for the return journey?

Thanks

 

[carolfoy]

They definately do online check in, although theres no twilight or downtown disney equivalent

 

[myhat]

Thanks for this info. How does the on-line check-in work?
How early can you do this and what sort of info are you asked to give?

If you go for on-line check-in how long before the flight do you then need to arrive at Gatwick and do you still need to queue as usual to get rid of the bags?

 

[carolfoy]

Hi check http://www.britishairways.com/travel/olciboard/public/en_gb?prim=onlinecheckin for details

 

[disney13]

Hi,

You can check-in for Orlando flights from Gatwick the night before from 4pm to 10pm.

Here's what it states on the BA website:

Customers departing on British Airways scheduled services from the North Terminal at Gatwick can check in, deposit baggage and collect their boarding cards, the day before their flight departs.

Who can use this service?
This service will be available for customers on any Intercontinental Service departing the following day, and also, for those customers departing on European Services (excluding charters) and Domestic services that leave on or before 10:00 the following day.

Self-Service Check-in details/Self Check-in process:
Early check-in is available only between 16:00 and 22:00 on the day prior to departure for those passengers qualifying as shown above.

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 C, and then proceed to drop their bags at the Fast Bag Drop Desks in Zone C.

Those Customers that hold Premier, Gold or Silver Executive Club cards will also be able to check-in at their appropriate Premium Check-in desk in Zone C (although still not prior to 16:00).

Day of Departure process:
Customers using Early Check-in will need to present themselves on the day of departure at their departure gate at least 45 minutes prior to scheduled departure time for Intercontinental services, and 30 minutes prior to departure for passengers travelling to European and Domestic destinations.

Please note: Once checked in, British Airways will not be able to retrieve baggage for customers.

Customers will be required to provide a telephone contact (preferably mobile number) at time of check-in to enable use of the facility.

We will not be able to check-in non-present members of families/groups.


Thanks,
Andy

 

[Miffy2003]

BA Twilight Check In what Andy says above is right. There is a twilight check in for BA from London Gatwick but for some reason they don't promote it! We used it for our trip in August this year

 

[mark&sue]

I have booked with BA Holidays and before I booked it I asked about the check in the night before at Gatwick and rep confirmed that there was one. This clinched it for me (as well as the fact the Virgin flydrive for that date was sold out).

So hopefully it will still be working in October 2006!!!



Susan

 

[myhat]

Thanks for all your help with this.

 

[WDWfan uk]

I used online check-in the day before the flight and it is a breeze! You can change your seats too - the only drawback is that at the moment you have to change one seat at a time (they are planning to change this), so if you do this, you run the risk of another person checking in at the same taking the seat next to you.
However, I discovered that they had already placed us in seats next to each other without the need to change the seats.

When you arrive at the airport you can then use the Fast Bag Drop instead of getting in the regular line. (As I'd booked online, they needed the card I used for Fast Bag Drop just as an extra proof of identity).

On a side note, although you need to check in at the desk at MCO, and previous day online check in was not offered, we arrived at 4.30pm for the 6.35pm flight and check-in was an absolute breeze!!! I could not believe it - I've checked in many times before at MCO and always had to queue but there was no line - however, Virgin's desk had lines going back a long way - even first class and Prem Economy were queueing - anyone on the flights on Friday Nov 4th know why Virgin was so backed up? (I realise that Virgin were loading 747's so there were more of them than on our 777 but still! I was so pleased I was with BA when I saw that line!!)

 

[TraceyL]

BA's twilight check in is a breeze - we used it last year

I know that you couldn't use online check in if there were children in your party though - is this still the case?

No DTD equivalent unfortunately though

 

[Miffy2003]

BA's twilight check in is a breeze - we used it last year

I know that you couldn't use online check in if there were children in your party though - is this still the case?

It was still the case in August when I enquired, sadly.

 

[myhat]

Dear Shirley (or anyone else)

How long before the flight do you need to arrive at Gatwick if you have already checked in on-line the day before?

 

[WDWfan uk]

Hi! I do not remember anything I received or saw on the BA site advising this except that check-in closes 1 hour prior to the flight time (2 hours in US).

Since you cannot - or I could not for this flight - print off our boarding passes, and these had to be obtained from the Fast Bag drop desk, plus having faced long queues through security on previous trips, I felt we needed to arrive in plenty of time just in case.

Due to traffic etc we arrived at the Fast Bag drop desk at around 9.25am for the 10.55am.

HOWEVER!! The flight was delayed 40 minutes so we did have to wait for a while before a gate was announced anyway!!

Sorry I can't be more helpful with this, but I really don't think they gave me a specific time to arrive - I've scanned my e-ticket but it doesn't say.

Have you checled out their site for the online check-in info?
https://www.britishairways.com/travel/olciboard/public/en_gb?prim=onlinecheckin

 

[myhat]

Shirley

Thanks for all your help with this.

We will go for the on-line check-in in preference to twilght.

We live just North of London so can get to Gatwick easily by 9:30 which is soooooooooo much better than 07:55 under the three hour rule.