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At the airport
Give yourself extra time to get through the airport, particularly if you’re travelling during busy periods, such as school holidays. You can also be prepared by doing some things before you get to the airport, including checking in.
Check in on ba.com or your mobile
Take the stress out of travelling by checking in up to nine people using ba.com. Choose your seats and print or download all your boarding passes onto one mobile device, as early as 24 hours before your flight is due to depart.
If you can’t check in online, you will be able to use a kiosk or check-in desk when you arrive at the airport.
If you'd like to take more bags than your free checked baggage allowance, you can purchase extra bags — up to 10 in total per person, including your free allowance. It’s cheaper to pay for extra bags on ba.com, which you’ll need to do before you check in.
British Airways app
With the British Airways mobile app, you can manage all of your travel plans on the move; check in, choose your seat, store everyone’s mobile boarding pass and receive gate notifications (iPhone only). Many of the same features are also available with the iPad app.
Check in at the airport
Check-in kiosks
If you can't check in online or on your mobile, save time with our quick and easy check-in kiosks, available at many airports.
Use the touch screen to choose your seats and check in within minutes. You can also check in for your onward or return flight, if it’s within 24 hours. You must then collect your boarding pass at a check-in kiosk.
Already checked in before you arrived at the airport? You can go straight to a check-in kiosk and print your boarding pass. All you need is:
- your booking reference, or
- a form of identification (e.g. credit/debit card, Executive Club card or passport) and,
- your flight number.
Check-in desks
You can use one of our check-in desks where our staff will be pleased to help you.
If you’re travelling from London Heathrow Terminal 5, use our family check-in exclusive for parents with children, located in Zone E. These have direct access to oversized baggage belts for pushchairs and car seats, designed to make your check in easier and faster.
Children can also collect their complimentary Skyflyers activity pack from the Family and Club World check in at Heathrow Terminal 5, Gatwick and London City — sure to help keep them entertained while in the air.
Drop off your bags
When you've checked in, take your baggage to the Bag Drop desk so that it can be tagged and sent to your aircraft. Then head straight through security so you get to your gate on time.
Discover all the information you need for pushchair and car seat baggage.
Get through security on time
Some airports have dedicated Family Lanes to help you and your children get through security stress-free. Ask at your departure airport if there is a Family Lane.
Airport security will vary around the world, so please check what restrictions your airport has in place for carrying baby milk and food in your hand baggage. You’ll be able to take liquids through security that meet the general restrictions. When you’re travelling with a baby, you may also take milk and formula in baby bottles, which can exceed the liquid measure restrictions.
Make sure you get through security in good time and well before you’re due at your gate.
We recommend that you go straight through security as soon as you’ve dropped off your bags, as this can take longer than normal during busy periods.
At London Heathrow Terminal 5, security closes 35 minutes before your flight’s scheduled departure time, so you must be through before then. This conformance time is managed by the airport authority and British Airways has no control over it.
Get to the gate on time
Your boarding gate number is published an hour before departure and you'll find this on the airport screens, your boarding pass and the BA mobile app (iPhone only).
If you're an Executive Club Gold or Silver Member, you can bring your child into the lounge to relax with you as a guest, however you'll be unable to bring both your partner and your child if you’re travelling as a family.
At London Heathrow Terminal 5, you can keep your little ones entertained with My 1st Years toys and mini ride-on aeroplanes while they wait to board, in our exclusive Skyflyer Lounge in the Club South Lounge.
Families board first
To make things easier for you, we always invite families with infants under 2 and young children in pushchairs to board first, so that you and your family can get settled on board. Please get to the gate at least 45 minutes before departure so that you are ready to board and we have enough time to load your pushchair in the hold.
Please note the gate closing time shown on your boarding pass. If you arrive late to the boarding gate, you won't be able to travel.