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British Airways Check-in and Baggage Size & Fees


Category: Airline Check-In, Airline Baggage Fees, Carry On Luggage Size

Recognized as the largest airline in the UK in terms of fleet size, international flights and international destinations, British Airways was established in the year of 1974.
Now, this great airline houses as many as 169 destinations across the country, not including its various subsidiaries and code-shares.

British Airways is headquartered in Waterside, Harmondsworth in England. It utilizes a large Boeing fleet, including Boeing 737, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, Boeing 777 and some others. As a top flag carrier airline in the United Kingdom, British Airways tries its best to offer absolute safety and comfort for all the passengers.

What are the Available Options for Checking in at British Airways?

British Airways offers three kinds of different options for checking in: mobile check-in, check-in online and airport kiosk check-in. The following is a brief overview on each check-in option at British Airways airports.

1. Check-in at britishairways.com

Every British Airways passenger is able to complete check-in on britishairways.com. This is the most convenient way for checking in and will save us a lot of time. Passengers can finish online check-in at home, in offices or at their hotels. British Airways flights online check-in usually opens 24 hours before the departure of our flights. British Airways online check-in allows passengers to choose their preferred seats. The earlier we check in, the wilder the selection of seats we will have.

2. Mobile Check-in

We can check in for British Airways flights at anytime and anywhere with our mobiles (on condition that we can search the internet with mobiles). By visiting ba2go.com on our mobile phones we can complete check-in and select seats for both departure and return flights.

3. Check-in at Airport Kiosks

Checking at British Airways kiosks is said to be the quickest and easiest way to save time for passengers. With the interactive touch screen we are able to finish the check-in within only a few minutes. We can also choose our preferred seats with the interactive seating plan. British Airways kiosks also allow us to check in for our return flights (if the ticket is within 24 hours). British Airways kiosks are available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

To complete kiosk check-in at British Airways airports, we need either of the following two items:

• Our booking reference

• Our flight number and a form of our identification ( such as a credit or debit card, an executive club card or a passport)

However, not all the British Airways customers are able to utilize the check-in kiosks. British Airways airport check-in kiosks are only available to the following groups of people:

• Customers who are traveling on British Airways flights, including those operated by our franchise partners

• Adults, children and infants

• Groups of up to six people on the same booking

• (Groups of more than six passengers per booking will be checked in individually.)

We can not use British Airways check-in kiosks under these conditions:

• We are starting our journey on another airline, including British Airways code-share flights operated by our oneworld alliance partners

• Our child is traveling alone

What is the Check-in Deadline Time for British Airways Flights?

Whenever we take flights, it is very important for us to check in the flight and get to the gate on time before the departure. We must get our boarding card by the time of check-in closes, or we will miss our planes. All the British Airways check-in desks at London Heathrow and Gatwick will close 45 minutes before the flight departs. And the online check-in will close one hour before the departure of our flights. We can view the check-in times that apply to our flights in the "At the Airport" section of "Manage My Booking" on British Airways official website britishairways.com.

There are still some exceptional things for British Airways airports check-in time that we should pay attention to. Terminals 3 and 5 at London Heathrow Airport feature different check-in times from other British Airways airports:

• At London Heathrow Terminals 3 and 5, we must be through security 35 minutes before our flight's scheduled departure time.

• We must be at our boarding gate 20 minutes before the departure time of our flights.

Does British Airways Have Other Additional Terms for Check-in?

Yes! Apart from the above terms for check-in, British Airways also offers some other quality services in terms of check-in.

• Check-in for Disabled Passengers - For passengers who have disabilities and can not complete the check-in by themselves, British Airways customer service staff will help them finish checking in and get on board on time. British Airways offers favorable assistance for visually impaired passengers, hearing impaired passengers as well as a lot of mobility assistance at the airport and in-flight.

• Passport or ID Check-in - All the passengers at British Airways will be asked to have their passports or IDs checked at the airport, before we board our planes. If we do not do this, we will not be accepted for the flight.

• Terminal 5 Passport and Visa Check-in - At British Airways airports, if we are planning to fly longhaul or take a shorthaul flight to Moscow, St Petersburg, Tripoli or Kiev and we've checked in online or at a check-in kiosk at the terminal, we will need to go to one of the passport and visa check desks before going to security. If we need to check in our baggage, our passport and visa will be checked at a Bag Drop or customer service desk in the airport.

• Baggage Check-in - When we need to check baggage, we can go to the Bag Drop Desk, where our baggage will be tagged by the customer service agent. At Gatwick Airport, we can use a British Airways check-in kiosk to print our baggage tags, even if we have already printed our boarding cards at home. After we have printed our baggage tags, we should drop our tagged baggage at one of the bag drop desks.

What are British Airways' Restrictions on Hand Baggage?

British Airways allows passengers to take only one piece of hand baggage plus a laptop or handbag on board. Our baggage should not exceed 23kg (51lbs) and we must be able to lift the bag unaided into the overhead lockers in the aircraft cabin.

1. Allowable Sizes for Hand Baggage

• For Hand Baggage - Our main piece of hand baggage is up to the dimensions 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (22in x 18in x 10in), including the handle, pockets and wheels. The bag must fit into the bag gauge, available at the check-in area.

• For Laptop or Handbag - The laptop or handbag we can take on board is up to the dimensions 45cm x 36cm x 20cm (18in x 14in x 8in), including the handle and pockets. And they must fit under the seat in front of us.

2. The Maximum Number of Hand Baggage Items

Passengers of different ages are allowed to take different types of baggage items.

• Adults and Children (aged 2 and over) - These passengers are allowed to carry one bag and one laptop-sized bag, handbag or briefcase. The weight should not exceed 23kg (51lbs). We must be able to lift the bag into the overhead locker unaided.

• Infants (under two years old) - Infants are only allowed to carry one bag (for the items they may require during the flight). The adults or parents should be able to lift the bag into the overhead locker unaided.

Note: If we are traveling on a code-share flight operated by American Airlines, American Airlines' allowance on hand baggage will apply.

Do They Have Limitations for Checked Baggage?

Yes! British Airways features different checked baggage allowances and requirements for different routes and different passengers.

1. Free Checked Baggage

The maximum dimensions of common baggage are 90cm x 75cm x 43cm (35.5in x 29.5in x 16 in), including the handle, pockets and wheels. For larger and bulky items, the restricted dimensions are 190cm x 75cm x 65cm (75in x 29.5in x 25.5in), including the handle, pockets and wheels. Any bags carried in addition to these free checked baggage allowances will incur an extra bag charge. And the maximum weight for free checked baggage is 23kg (51lbs).

2. Charges for Extra Baggage

When we need to carry more bags than the free checked baggage allowance, we may pay to check in up to 10 extra bags per person with the same weight restrictions as our free allowance. We can choose to pay for the extra baggage items on britishairways.com or at the airport. Usually, paying online can save us more money.
The following is an overview on the charges we should pay for different extra baggage items by using different payments:

Extra Charges We Should Pay By Paying in Advance Online:

CabinFree Allowance1st Extra BagFurther Extra Bag
First Club World3 bags£77/$119/€98£77/$119/€98
World Traveller Plus2 bags£77/$119/€98£77/$119/€98
World Traveller Y class(full-fare Economy)2 bags£77/$119/€98£77/$119/€98
World Traveller1 bags£34/$51/€43£77/$119/€98
Club Europe2 bags£30/$43/€39£30/$43/€39
Euro Traveller UK Domestic1 bags£30/$43/€39£30/$43/€39


Extra Charges We Should Pay at the Airport:


CabinFree Allowance1st Extra BagFurther Extra Bag
First Club World3 bags£90/$140/€115£90/$140/€115
World Traveller Plus2 bags£90/$140/€115£90/$140/€115
World Traveller Y class(full-fare Economy)2 bags£90/$140/€115£90/$140/€115
World Traveller1 bags£40/$60/€50£90/$140/€115
Club Europe2 bags£35/$50/€45£35/$50/€45
Euro Traveller UK Domestic1 bags£35/$50/€45£35/$50/€45


Note: 1. These charges can be converted to local currency at the airport. And they may vary on the basis of different places' current exchange rates. 2. All the passengers are not allowed to purchase any extra bag for infants less than two years of age.

3. Charges for Overweight Baggage

For any bag weighting more than 23kg (51lbs), we will have to pay an overweight baggage charge. The extra fees we need to pay are:

• 32kg (70lbs) > Bags > 23kg (51lbs) - We need to pay £40 or local equivalent at check-in ($60 from any US departure airport).

• Bags > 32kg (70lbs) - Baggage over 32kg must be shipped separately as freight or cargo.

4. Checked Baggage Allowance for Passengers with Wheelchairs

British Airways passengers with limited mobility are only allowed to take wheelchairs on board unless they are for personal uses. Wheelchairs are allowed to take on board irrespective of weights. But if the wheelchair weights more than 32 kg (70lbs), we should notify British Airways customer service center and let them know. They will deal with it.

Can I Take My Sporting Equipments on Board?

Yes. British Airways allows customers to take sporting equipments on board as checked or hand baggage on condition that they do not exceed the maximum dimensions 190cm x 75cm x 65cm (75in x 29.5in x 25.5in), including the handle, pockets and wheels. Oversize and overweight sporting equipments will be charged according to the charge terms for checked baggage items. But the following sporting items are not accepted as baggage for British Airways flights:

• hang-gliders

• windsurfing boards and sails

• water skis that exceed the maximum dimensions*

• surfboards that exceed the maximum dimensions*

• kayaks and canoes

• pole vaults

• javelins

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