Many British Airways passengers from Heathrow will have to allow even more time before their flights. Starting on Sunday, 30 October, BA is increasing the minimum check-in time for long-haul travellers from 45 minutes to one hour.
The 45-minute cut-off remains in place for domestic and European passengers. It is more generous than a number of rival airlines, with a one-hour minimum common.
Whlle most travellers allow significantly more time than this, the 45-minute deadline has proved invaluable in the past for passengers caught up in traffic congestion or stuck on public transport such as the Heathrow Express or Piccadilly Line of the Tube.
The airline is telling passengers : “From 30 October, if you're travelling on a long haul flight from London Heathrow you will need to have checked in at least 60 minutes before your flight departs. If you're travelling on a short haul flight, you can check in until 45 minutes before your flight departs.”
Travellers who miss the deadline are regarded as no-shows, with their entire itinerary cancelled, though in some circumstances the airline may take a softer line.
The change affects only passengers who need to check in and/or drop a bag. Travellers who have already checked in online and have their boarding pass are able to leave as little as 35 minutes, timed at the point they have their boarding pass scanned at the head of the queue for security.
It is believed the change is to allow for the extra time that is required for the vast majority of long-haul passengers at Terminal 5 to reach the gate. All but one or two of the 85 daily long-haul flights from BA's main terminal depart from the “B” and “C” satellites — requiring a shuttle train or a long walk through a subterranean tunnel. In contrast, five out of six of the 230 daily short-haul flights depart from “A” gates, which are in the main terminal building.
Among long-haul airlines surveyed by The Independent, the most accommodating is now Singapore Airlines, which closes check-in 45 minutes before departure. Most long-haul airlines from Heathrow, including Cathay Pacific, United and Virgin Atlantic, have a minimum check-in time of one hour.
The most draconian check-in requirement at Heathrow that The Independent has identified is two hours on both Air New Zealand and South African Airways.
Short-haul airlines are more generous. The minimum is half-an-hour on SAS Scandinavian Airlines, though this applies only to Business or “SAS Plus” passengers; for basic economy ticket holders, the limit is 40 minutes. Next best is Air France, where the cut-off is 40 minutes for all passengers.
Airlines’ minimum check-in times at Heathrow
30 minutes: SAS (Business/SAS Plus)
40 minutes: Air France, SAS Economy
45 minutes: Iberia, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, British Airways short-haul,
1 hour: Air Canada, Air India, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Delta, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad, Qantas, Qatar Airways, United, Virgin Atlantic
90 minutes: Emirates
2 hours: Air New Zealand, South African Airways
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