We (a family of four) are flying BA (business class) from Seattle to Heathrow and Heathrow to Zürich, and return, in June. I know we can't select seats until we check in online, 24 hours in advance (unless we choose to pay).

My question is, do we check in for both flights at the same time, even tho' that is more than 24 hours in advance for the second flight? They were all booked as part of the same itinerary, if that makes a diffeence.

My main concern is with the return flight, where we want the best chance at getting decent seats (together if possible) for the overseas leg, from LHR to SEA. Our first flight leaves Zürich at 10:45 am, and the LHR to SEA flight departs LHR at 15:30. So, under the 24-hour check-in rule, can we check in for BOTH flights at 10:46 am the previous day? (That will actually be hard for us to do as we will be in transit from Milan to Zürich the previous day, but maybe we can find an internet cafe before we board the train.) I guess I'm hoping that the 24-hour rule applies separately to the overseas flight, so no one can check in until 15:30. By then we'll be in Switzerland and will have a computer available at our hotel.

Also, I am curious if anyone knows what the Business/First Class Lounge for BA passengers is like at Zürich airpport. I am wondering if we can count on that for a light breakfast (coffee, tea, croissants, yogurt).

Thanks for your help!

Yes you check in for both flights at the same time; 24h before the first departure.

According to BA they use a third party lounge at ZRH; some people on Flyertalk have described it as "nothing special" - take what you will from that. I'm sure they'll have basic supplies - beverages, snacks, etc. I can't imagine a Swiss airport lounge that doesn't have something in the way of baked goods or good dairy products.

Or just have a minor nosh, then save yourselves for the BA Arrivals lounge at T5, open until 2 PM. (It's landside so you have to go through UK immigration, then upstairs directly above the door from customs into the public area.) It's fabulous, with full English breakfasts available (and more and more...) Great place.

Open until 2 p.m.? (not very late)

<i>Open until 2 p.m.? (not very late)</i>

It's an <i>arrivals</i> lounge, open to host people arriving. Most of BA's longhaul flights from Africa, Asia and the Americas arrive in the morning hours.

Thanks. I guess I'll have to find a way to check in while we're still in Milan. I can delay our train departure from there to 13:10 and have a more leisurely morning, assuming I can locate an internet cafe. It's either that or pay the $90 for advance seat selection (ouch!)

That's good to know about the BA lounges. I did see "Third party" when I looked up the Zurich lounge but wasn't sure what it means. We'll get into Heathrow at 11:30 am so should have time to enjoy the breakfast (or lunch) at the T5 lounge.

One more question. iI assume the check-in time is 24 hour before the flight departure, local time? In other words, for a flight that leaves Zurich at 10:45 am, I check in at 10:45 am the previous day, Zurich time, not London time?

This seems to give an advantage in seat selection to people coming from farther east or with earlier connecting flights.

Yes, you check in 24h before the first flight using the time at the departure point.

Connecting passengers do have an advantage, but all the others are the same.

BA will do their best to sort out your seats when you get to the airport if you have children that need to sit near you.

This is what BA say on their website if children are between 2 and 12.

"If you do not choose a seat, we will allocate you a suitable one 3 days before departure.

If the group cannot be seated together, each child will be seated with an adult at least."

Other rules are here...
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...y/public/en_gb

Thanks, Lynneb. Unfortunately our daughters are 17 and 21 so this won't apply.

At least they are on the same ticket and will check in together. My husband and I are each on a separate ticket---so 3 tickets in all, and 3 check-ins. Grrrr.

Phone BA and ask if they can link the PNRs so you can be considered as a family unit when checking in. (PNR = Passenger Name Record, your reservation details in the computer.)

Good idea. I'll do that.

I'm now considering paying to book our seats for the return flight, since online check-in could be iffy.

It's only money. . .

The BA Arrivals lounge is landside, outside security. You will probably have enough time to leave airside if you want to use it, but will be required to go through Immigration and if you land after 11:30 or so, there's a good chance Fast Track will be closed already. Then you will have to re-enter through security. I'd recommend you stay airside at T5 and use one of the lounges there.

I'm in the lounge now, arrived here about 6:30 this morning from Dubai. Flew to Dubai yesterday from Cochin, so I've had a lot of time in the air since early yesterday morning. I've just finished a long and lovely shower, breakfast and the morning newspaper, put my carry-ons into the luggage storage and am now ready to go out into the shopping. The breakfast here doesn't extend to Full English, but it's still nice - good bacon butties, pastries, fruit, yogourts and cereals, various coffee drinks, fruit juices, etc.

Thanks for the update, julia1. Maybe we will stay "airside" after all.

We left the secured area once at Honolulu airport---thought we had plenty of time (4 hours) to go look for better food options for the girls. The security line to get back in took us 2 hours and that was a lesson we won't forget!