Airlines at Heathrow

All the information in this Directory has been provided by the airlines concerned, and although as accurate as possible at the time the Guide went to press, details can change in a very short space of time. In particular, the charge for excess baggage can vary considerably with fuel prices, but the figures shown will at least give an idea of the system used by a particular airline. Bear in mind that the maximum weight of any single item of luggage should not exceed 32 kilos, the limit imposed by the Health and Safety regulations governing baggage handling.

Wherever possible, the most likely desks to be used for check-in have been quoted, but often these desks will be changed to suit the current needs of the handling airline. In general, though, the area used by an airline for its check-in does not change much, and by referring to the Terminal maps in the departures section of the Guide you can at least decide which entrance to the Terminal would be the best for you to use. Terminals 2 and 3 are particularly difficult to negotiate with a baggage trolley when several flights are checking in. If you do find yourself at the wrong end of the Departures hall it will usually be a lot easier to go outside and walk to a different entrance than to struggle through the lines of passengers and bags.

Earliest check-in times have been listed, and with most airlines your bags can be checked in a few hours before departure, leaving you unladen while you browse around the shops. For those who simply want to turn up and fly, the latest check-in times are listed, but be aware that passing through Security can take ten minutes at busy times and your Departure gate may be a five-minute walk after Security, or even ten minutes to Gates 19-22 at T4.

Ever had the frustration of needing to speak to someone about a problem, but being unable to get beyond an automatic message? Hopefully the choice of numbers offered by most airlines in this Directory will enable the frantic passenger who has lost a ticket to be able to speak to somebody as soon as possible.

Most airlines offer special facilities to passengers who are travelling other than Economy class, and the variations are too numerous to list. Call your airline's Customer Service number for full details.