Gatwick Luggage Storage

[CruisinD]

Globaliser, perhaps you know?

 

Does anyone know the ease and timing of using the left luggge storage facility at Gatwick? The location is near the departure check-in/ticketing area. We'd be coming from "arrivals" and then going to "departures." We will be arriving at Gatwick fromthe US and have already booked a return (round trip) flight Business class on British Airways. We now have decided to go to Edinburgh for a couple of days rather than London prior to our cruise from Harwich. We really don't want to take our cruise luggage with us to Edinburgh for 3 quick nights. It appears that British Airways is the only way to go from Gatwick, and it's economy only. They allow 1 piece of checked luggage and 1 approx 13 lb. carry-on.

 

As we'll be in Biz class from the US, we are allowed more hand carry ons (2) so here's my thinking: Plane lands from US at approx 7 AM...we go through immigration and get all luggage, exit through customs , then store the 2-25" larger pieces plus garment bag that we'll have at the "Left Luggage" facility. For the Edinburgh flight, we could then check in our original small roller carry-on and use the small tote bag/purse as the sole carry-on. (Does this make sense to anybody?)

 

My question is, will we have enough time to go back and forth through the airport with our luggage and accomplish this if we first land at 7 AM and take a 9:30 AM flight to Edinburgh? - 2 1/2 hours connection? Immigration, baggage claim, find the storage facility, store luggage, check in to Edinburgh flight, security, cushion for first flight arriving slightly late, etc? I've looked at the floor plans of Gatwick and still can't picture it all correctly enough to see where the flow is. It's almost a loop through the airport, going from baggage claim and then going to the ticketing area for the storage facility.

 

Not many alternatives to the above "luggage shuffle" as far as I can figure out. If I re-ticketed and paid the change fee (plus any higher fare since we purchased) in order to be able to check through all the luggage as well as a higher carry-on limit, we still really don't want the extra baggage for Edinburgh. We could check in to a hotel at Gatwick that AM and leave later that day but there's no guarantee that they'd hold our luggage for us for 3 days. And that would be more time consuming.

 

So, if anyone knows how long it should take to retrieve and shuffle all the luggage, check in, etc., I'd appreciate it. I'd like to book the Edinburgh air but need this further info before I commit.

 

Denise

[Globaliser]

2½ hours should be fine.

 

One question, though: Do you really each need two checked-in bags for the cruise plus another smaller bag for Edinburgh? That's more than a single person can manage when you've got it all together. If you can each do one checked-in "Edinburgh" bag, one "Gatwick" cruise bag, and one carry-on, then you could do this: Get BA to through-check the "Edinburgh" bag to EDI, but the "Gatwick" bag only to LGW. (They will through-check the bag even if you're on separate tickets because the onward flight is on BA and you are "legal" for connecting time.) BA can also issue you with boarding passes for the LGW-EDI flight.

 

Then when you get to LGW, all you will have to do is to clear immigration, collect the bags that are staying at LGW, take them upstairs and drop them at left luggage, then re-clear security and go to the gate.

[CruisinD]

Globaliser,

 

Thanks for the quick reply. We only have 1 checked-in bag per person (plus husband has a lightweight garment bag w/suit, a couple of shirts, etc) so your idea would work, except that the carry-ons that you assigned for the "Edinburgh" check-in are quite small (for rollers) - they are designed to sit atop the larger bag when the handle is extended - and I'm not sure I'd want them checked all the way through from Tampa as they might not easily take the rough and tumble of a 777 baggage load. (Also if they got delayed we'd be without clothes for the Edinburgh portion of our holiday!) We'd also have to revert back to only a 13 lb (6k), carry-on for the entire trip and that is difficult and negates one of the perks of Club class!

 

Now that you've given me the tip that BA will through check anyways (as long as the size, weight restrictions are followed) I might re-arrange some things and do weight checks.

 

But as it stands, my original plan is still Plan A. And the only real difference between that and yours is the added time for checking in the small bags for Edinburgh. Will that take a lot of time? Are the queues long for domestic check-in? At least we'll be in the correct area as left luggage storage is nearby.

 

Thanks again.

 

Denise

[Globaliser]

But as it stands, my original plan is still Plan A. And the only real difference between that and yours is the added time for checking in the small bags for Edinburgh. Will that take a lot of time? Are the queues long for domestic check-in? At least we'll be in the correct area as left luggage storage is nearby.

No, it shouldn't take much time. If you already have your boarding passes, what I'd do is this. Go to BA's domestic check-in area (Zone C, I think the website says - but it'll be marked) and look for the Fast Bag Drop desk. If there's a queue at the normal check-in desk, FBD is usually considerably faster - and if there isn't a queue at the normal check-in desk then the issue is academic.

 

Also, another time saving hint: When you're going towards security, if the door that's marked Fast Track has a distinctly shorter queue than the others, try it. I actually have some Fast Track passes but have never had to use them because I've never been sent back even though I've never produced a pass.

 

One other thing you will notice: When you enter the security area and your boarding pass is checked, you will have your photo taken and a barcode will be put on your boarding pass. This is done because the area beyond security is a mix of international passengers (some in direct airside international-international transit) and domestic passengers - which in turn is done so that everyone has access to the shops, although domestic passengers will not be able to buy everything that's on offer. When you board the aircraft, your photo should be called up by the barcode that's been put on your boarding pass, so that security can verify that you entered the departure lounge from landside and are therefore safe to be allowed onto a domestic flight. The photos are destroyed after 24 hours, in case you're wondering.

 

I understand the point about a precaution against a mishandled bag, but I could never agree that lugging around an extra bag just because I'm allowed it could be regarded as a "perk", whatever class I'm flying in! Useful when necessary, but it's so good when you have have next to nothing to carry on board.

 

Incidentally, are you on a 747 or a 777? I don't know how familiar you are with BA layouts, but post again if you want some hints.

[CruisinD]

Globaliser,

 

Thanks again for your quick replies. We're on a 777 3-class NCW, WT+, WT. This will be my first time in NCW. They just reconfigured this in the spring. Last flight we tried WT+ as no availability in Club for MFU. (economy is necessary at times but it's nice to move up!) So far I've chosen 4A&B.

 

Yes, I can handle 6k as sole carry-on but it's sooo nice when I don't have to worry about weight! Add a couple of water bottles and then I'm re-arranging stuff. We try to travel as light as we can but it is not as easy when cruising. Our 2 large bags usually weigh in at less than 40 lbs. each. (garment bag maybe 10?)

 

Also, I'm not sure about getting the boarding passes for Edinburgh at initial check-in at Tampa. Last year we were connecting to Venice (TPA/LGW/VCE) and they would not give us the Venice BP's at Tampa. Our connection was about 10 hours though so that may be the reason. (or not)

 

I do thank you for all the help you give.

 

Denise

[Globaliser]

Also, I'm not sure about getting the boarding passes for Edinburgh at initial check-in at Tampa. Last year we were connecting to Venice (TPA/LGW/VCE) and they would not give us the Venice BP's at Tampa. Our connection was about 10 hours though so that may be the reason. (or not)

Well, you sound like you're on top of all the seating etc.

 

Could the issue with the LGW-VCE connection have been something like the flight being on a separate booking or ticket and departing more than 24 hours after the time that you were trying to check in for it? That can sometimes be a problem.

 

But if you can't get a boarding pass for the LGW-EDI sector in advance and you have an e-ticket or an ATB-style paper ticket, it may still be worth your while trying the check-in machines and then using the Fast Bag Drop, if there's a queue for the normal check-in.