Heathrow Bag Drop - British Airways

[LooksLikeImStuckHere]

We have a flight at 6.20am and would like to get to Heathrow (T5) three hours before departure as don’t want to get stuck in queues.

We’ve seen conflicting information about BA’s bag drop and go. Does anyone know what time it opens? We’ve see 4.30am, 5am and no idea what time it will actually be. No clear info on their website, obviously.

I know we can drop the night before but the car parking charges and fuel would cost loads, not to mention karting 2 small kids to the airport between 6pm and 9pm when we have an early flight!

TIA

They have capped early check in to reduce queues. On the day bags can only be checked in 2 hours before for short haul and 3 hours before for longhaul. However if you’re flying club/business class you can check them in earlier.

@CeeceeBloomingdale
All that will mean is that people will arrive early and clog the place up preventing others getting to bag drop. Only solution is hotel the night before. Or 4.30 am if economy.

@TizerorFizz I didn't make the rule, I'm only informing OP. If people choose to arrive earlier than that time there is little that can be done to stop them. However this way controls the queues at security.

If you are flying out of Heathrow T5 you will be absolutely fine 2 hours before especially with an early flight. I have been through about 8 times so far this year, including last week and usually through in about 30 mins.
T3 however was chaos!

@CeeceeBloomingdale
I didn’t think you did. It’s just conversation, not an accusation. I think very early would be ok. Not much time in the lounge if you were business class though!

But as I said business class can check I earlier so no lounge time lost. Seems a reasonable concept to me.

When I flew from T5 in April, we couldn't join bag drop queue until 2 hours before our flight. We'd arrived earlier than planned as had allowed for traffic on M25 but roads were clear early morning. Queue took about 1 hour for bag drop, then another hour for security, so wouldn't have make our flight if it hadn't been delayed!

I think we were especially unlucky, as were given a scanner queue that moved so slowly as there were whole families who had not bagged up liquids and seemed to have about 50 bottles each that they proceeded to sort right at the scanners, blocking them for everyone else. Staff were stressed but did little to manage this.

Yes. But you still have to do bag drop. If you have them of course.