Day of travel FAQs

If you have an AirTag in your baggage, you can easily and securely share a location link which may help us find your delayed items quicker.

Once you’ve generated a Share Item Location link using the Find My app on your iPhone, iPad or Mac, you can add it to your delayed baggage report. 

We’ll only use this to help find your baggage, and the link will be used only by those we authorise to assist with reuniting you with your baggage.

The shared location will be disabled as soon as you are back in proximity with the AirTag when you receive your baggage. It can be stopped by you at any time, and will automatically expire after 7 days

We’re really sorry your baggage has been delayed, and we’ll do everything we can to get your items back to you as soon as possible.  

If you’re still at the airport, you can quickly and easily create a delayed baggage report by speaking with an agent or, where available, by using a self-service kiosk in the baggage reclaim area. 

If you’ve already left the airport, you can report your delayed baggage using our online baggage portal.  

You’ll need to provide the baggage tag number(s) you were given when you checked in, details of all flights taken in your journey, a description of your baggage, your contact details and a delivery address.

The time it can take to get delayed baggage back to you depends on a number of factors, such as where your baggage is arriving from and the delivery distance. 

In most cases you’ll be reunited with your baggage between 24-72 hours after creating your delayed baggage report. 

You can provide a temporary address, such as your hotel, when creating your delayed baggage report. 

If you’re travelling to more than one place during your trip, log back in to the delayed baggage portal when you have changed locations, select ‘Manage an existing report’ and then update your new temporary address. 

Your delayed baggage details will be entered into the WorldTracer baggage tracking system, and we’ll get to work finding your items immediately. 

When you create a report you’ll receive a reference number, which you can use to track the status of your delayed baggage in our online baggage portal.

As soon as we locate your baggage, we’ll contact you to let you know and return it to your chosen address at no extra charge, subject to local customs requirements. 

You won’t have to fill in another customs declaration form if you’ve completed one at the airport, if you didn’t travel, your flight was cancelled, or your journey was entirely within the UK. Otherwise, we’ll contact you to complete a local customs declaration form if it’s required. 

Check what you’re allowed to bring into the UK.

Any items found on board an aircraft, in the airport or in one of our lounges are handed over to the airport team. Find out how to contact the airport on our lost property page.

Please return the bag to the Arrivals area in the airport you landed at, along with a form of ID and your original bag tag receipt.

The owner of the bag is likely to have reported it missing, and if they’ve taken your bag by mistake, we can arrange for each one to be returned to its correct owner.

If they haven’t taken your bag, report your missing baggage to help us get it back to you if we’re able to find it.

If you have more than two pieces of hand baggage, or they’re over the permitted size, you may have to put your larger bags into the hold as checked baggage.

When you’ve used your free checked baggage allowance, you’ll have to pay to put any extra bags into the hold. Check your baggage allowance using the calculator. Please note, the carriage of excess baggage is subject to availability. In some destinations, additional local taxes may also apply.

If your journey includes a flight with another airline, their allowances may be different. Please check before you fly.

British Airways will refund any pre-payment for extra baggage that is cancelled online before check-in. British Airways is unable to accept any refund claims, or any changes to the pre-payment of extra baggage, once the flight has departed. Unless otherwise stated, British Airways will only make a refund to the credit card used to pre-pay the extra baggage charge.

If you’ve booked separate flights with different booking references to get to your final destination each flight is considered a separate journey. This applies even if all your flights are with British Airways, BA Cityflyer and BA Euroflyer.

You’ll need to check your bags in for each separate flight. Make sure to leave enough time between each flight to do this and get to your departure gate for the next leg of your journey. Simply follow these steps:

• Check in your bags for your first flight.
• Collect your bags when you land - you may need to go through customs.
• Go to departures and check your bags in again for your next flight.
• Collect your bags at your final destination.

Please be aware that on journeys with separate tickets and different booking references, your bags will not be transferred on to your next flight as it is considered a separate journey.

In case of delay, cancellation or other disruption to your initial flight, when you hold a separate booking on a different reference for your next flight, airlines are limited in the assistance they can give you for your onward journey/subsequent flight, just as they have no obligation to automatically check your baggage through to your next flight as each booking is considered a separate contract.

On journeys with connecting flights that use a single booking reference, even if it includes other airline codes, your baggage allowance is generally determined by the airline that operates the longest flight in your itinerary.

You can usually check in your bags to arrive at your final destination if:

• All your flights are under a single booking reference and ticket number, or
• Your flights are with oneworld airlines under a single booking reference, even if you have separate ticket numbers.

If an airport requires you to collect your checked bags before connecting to a domestic flight in that country, simply follow these steps:

• Check in your bags for your first flight.
• Collect your bags when you land – you may need to go through customs.
• Go to Departures and check your bags in again for your domestic flight.
• Collect your bags at your final destination.

Remember to allow enough time to check your bags in again and then connect to your domestic flight gate for departure.

If you're not sure where to collect your bags, please ask when you check them in at the start of your journey. Your baggage tags will show your bag’s final destination.

Small electronic devices such as laptops or tablets should be carried in your hand baggage in the cabin for both security and safety reasons.

All spare device batteries and power packs must be carried into the cabin in your hand baggage, as these are not permitted in the aircraft hold as checked baggage under any circumstances.

If you choose to put your laptop, tablet or similar electronic device into your checked baggage, they must be completely switched off (not in sleep or hibernation mode) and protected from unintentional activation and damage.

You should ensure that you have adequate baggage insurance to cover all eventualities as we would refuse any claim for damage, removal or loss of electrical devices from hold baggage.

At airport security, you may be asked to turn on any electronic devices you want to take into the cabin. Please ensure they are functioning and fully charged before you travel, or they may not be allowed on board.

You can purchase wi-fi on board to stream your favourite shows or work while you travel.

Any small electric leisure vehicles, such as scooters, powered by lithium batteries are not allowed on our aircraft board, either as hand baggage or as checked baggage.

If you need to take essential medical supplies for your own use on your journey, like dialysis fluid, colostomy bags or liquid food, you can pack these into bags to be checked into the hold.

These items are in addition to your free baggage allowance, and you won’t be charged so long as:

• Any additional bag only contains your medical supplies, and
• You can show a letter from a medical professional confirming your need of these items

Please see our information on travelling with health conditions for the number of bags you can travel with and further advice.

There aren’t any limits to the weight or number of items of medical equipment you can carry with you for your journey, though they may need our permission to be brought on board. We recommend that you always carry a letter from a medical professional stating that you need the medical equipment on board or at your destination. This includes equipment like a CPAP machine, a nebuliser, an insulin pump or a portable oxygen concentrator (POC). We also recommend that these items are brought on board as hand baggage, rather than as checked baggage, should you need them for the first few days of your journey.

If your journey includes a flight with another airline, their policies may be different. Please check before you fly.

Unwrapped presents or gifts can be carried in the cabin if they fit into a bag that’s included in your baggage allowance. They must also meet the rules on travelling with liquids. 

Items carried in the cabin need to be unwrapped for security checks. Electrical items must be in unsealed packaging and charged so they can be switched on if required, especially when travelling to or from the USA. Find out more about security checks for electronic devices.

If you pack wrapped gifts in your checked baggage, the baggage security team at the airport may unwrap your gifts if they need to investigate the contents of your bag.

As our aircraft have less cabin space than the Star Wars™ Millennium Falcon, lightsabers from Savi’s Workshop need to be carried in your checked baggage.

Lightsabers are too long to be carried as part of your hand baggage as the maximum permitted length of items in the cabin is 56cm (22”).

You must dismantle your lightsaber for travel. The longest part should fit diagonally into a standard suitcase as it's around 79cm (31”) long.

If you arrive with a lightsaber in its soft carry case at the airport bag drop or the gate, it may be checked into the hold, and you could be charged for an extra bag.

You can also pack your lightsaber into a long rigid cardboard postal tube and check it in as hold baggage. There may be an extra charge if it takes you over your free baggage allowance.

You can add Advance Passenger Information to your booking on ba.com using Manage My Booking. If there is any information you need to provide, you'll see a red exclamation mark against the passenger information section at the top of the page.

Many countries require us to collect some passport and travel information about who's flying into their country. The information you provide is sent securely to the necessary government authorities.

You will need to supply some or all of the following details:

• your full name (as it appears on your passport)
• your date of birth
• your gender
• your nationality
• your passport number
• your passport expiry date
• the country that issued your passport
• your country of residence.

Additionally, when travelling to the US, you will need to provide:

• the destination address of your first night’s stay
• Alien Registration Number (Green Card) for those who have US residency
• Traveler Redress Number if you have one (this enables travellers who have experienced problems entering the US to avoid future difficulties).

If you're a US citizen and have a 'Global Entry' number, you don't need to provide this as part of your API. When you arrive in the US your Global Entry status will be recognised when you use the dedicated Immigration kiosk.

Some governments require us to provide them with information from flight bookings, which will contain additional passenger details to those listed above.

Find out what information is required when visiting the USA. More information is available on the U.S Customs and Border Protection website.

Applications aren’t instantly approved, so we recommend you apply for your ESTA as soon as possible. If you apply under 72 hours before you’re due to travel, you may not get approved in time.

You don't need to enter any additional details on ba.com when entering your Advance Passenger Information (API) to show that you have an ESTA. This will happen automatically when you add your details.

You can find information on what’s required for API on the USA’s Customs and Border Protection website.

If you’re flying into the USA to join a cruise, or you’re hiring a car during your stay, we recommend travelling with documents that show these reservations.

You can pre-order Champagne from the High Life Café via the High Life Shop, and our crew will deliver it to your loved one’s seat during their flight. You can combine it with a gift from our on-board range on selected routes.

Please be aware that customers travelling our in Club Europe, Club World and First cabins have Champagne available on board their flights as part of our complimentary bar menu.

You can email us at support@highlifeshop.com, or by calling the team on 0345 6000 757 from the UK, or from outside the UK on +44 370 241 0777.

If you want to give someone a personal gift to open on board, please make sure that it's suitable to be taken through security. Liquids, gels and creams must be in a container under 100ml and fit into the customer's single, clear plastic and sealable 'liquids' bag, which can be no larger than 20cm x 20cm.

Anything gift wrapped will be subject to security checks, X-rays and may need to be unwrapped for further inspection if necessary. Learn more our hand baggage rules and restrictions.

You can do this by contacting our Customer Service team.

You can email support@highlifeshop.com or call 0345 6000 757 if you’re within the UK, or +44 (0)370 241 0777 from anywhere else.

You can call from Monday to Friday 9:00am – 6:00pm UK time, excluding UK public holidays.

Yes, you can Buy Before You Fly from the extended range in our High Life Shop, or order over the phone. You can do this 12 weeks before your flight, and up to five days before you travel. We’ll deliver your order right to your seat. On some flights, you can also order from our Cabin Crew on board for a delivery on your return flight with us.

We try to ensure our Galleries Lounges are as relaxing as possible while accommodating a large number of customers. To do that, we limit access to customers travelling in our First, Club World or Club Europe cabins and Gold or Silver British Airways Club Members – or the equivalent with our partner airlines – plus any of their eligible guests.

This means we're unable to extend invitations to our lounges if you have Diners Club or Priority Pass cards, or if you're not travelling in First, Club World or Club Europe. We're also not able to offer a 'pay to enter' option to any British Airways-owned lounges, with either card payment or Avios.

Many airports have alternative lounges that you can pay to use. You can find the details of any available lounges on airport websites.

You can print your own boarding pass online from up to 24 hours before your flight using Manage My Booking.

You can also use the self-service kiosks at the airport. All you need is your booking reference (PNR) or passport.

If you need our help, you can get a boarding pass from a check-in desk.