Twilight Checkin

[PAULINE HALL]

We are going to Orlando in October for the first time. We plan to use the Twilight checkin at Gatwick, can anyone tell me the proceedure - I know that the bags are checked in the day before but what happens then do you have to que the next day to get your boarding pass and reserve your seats or is this done at twilight checkin so that on the day of travel all you have to do is turn up at the departure gate. I would be most grateful for any infor on this subject.

 

[bengunn]

Hi Pauline,

We have not used Twilight Checkin before but are using it in a few weeks.

My understanding is that you do the full checkin the night before, including getting your seats (have you already made your seat requests?) and getting your boarding cards. Then in the morning you just have to go through security and get on the plane.

 

[PAULINE HALL]

Thank you for your reply - yes we have already booked seats, but we wanted to book seats with extra leg room which as I understand it you can only do at checkin, you cannot pre book them. We thought that everything happened at the twilight checkin but just wanted it confirmed.

 

[bengunn]

You are most welcome - I hope that i have got it right!

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Yep - it's as easy as that.

Only thing to add is that ALL passengers and ALL luggage have to be present when you check-in.

Once you've offloaded all your luggage the night before, you simply get up and wander around the airport/breakfast or whateve you like to do without all the stresses of having to do the early morning check-in.

Where are you both staying?

If at the Hilton, don't forget they have a pool which you can use (just dump wet cossies/night before's clothes in car).

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

. . forgot to add that if staying at the Hilton, you can access flight departure/arrival info on the tv in your room so you can check the incoming flight was on-time and see if yours is delayed (but hopefully not )

 

[PAULINE HALL]

Thanks for that info Annie I am staying at the Hilton, Can't wait for October

 

[kirstenjet]

Hi,
I've got a question about this. I'm staying at a hotel the night before so was going to use twilight check in but I'm not driving down there, so will have to take clothes/wet costumes with me. Does this mean I'd have to queue up all over again? Id there no way round it?

Thanks for any help,
Zow

 

[WebmasterPenny]

There's no way around it unless you can fit it all in your hand luggage allowance.

Penny

 

[kirstenjet]

I think I'm getting it all muddled up!

Do I not need to have my hand luggage checked at check in?

Please forgive my ignorance, but it's been quite a few years since I've flown anywhere abroad!


Thanks,
Zoe

 

[PAULINE HALL]

Hello Zoe

Hand lugage travels with you so you can take it to the hotel and then on to the plane next day.

 

[neilybealy]

i would have thought the hand luggage would still have to be checked at twilight checkin the night before to ensure it's the correct size etc

i have heard that the queues for twilight checkin can be just as bad as on the day of the flight - also there's only 1 checkin, ie no separate checkin for PE or upper class !

someone correct me if i'm wrong please!!

 

[kirstenjet]

That makes more sense than what I was thinking!

Thanks to both of you!

Zoe

 

[PAULINE HALL]

I think I will ring Virgin just to make sure on the hand luggage question because I thought hand lugage was just that hand lugage. I will let you know the answer.

 

[BevS97]

hand luggage is anything that you take onto the plane with you.

You can usually have one bag per person, upto a certain size - there is usually a measuring box in the airport and your bag is supposed to fit into that box. In addition to that, you may carry a handbag, or a briefcase.

From the Virgin website

You are allowed to carry one piece of hand luggage onto the plane. This must be able to fit under the seat in front of you, which means it must not be larger than 23cm x 36cm x 56cm (9in x 14in X 22in) overall and should also not weigh more than 6kg (13lbs).

You could take a small overnight case which would be large enough to hold some overnight clothes and a swimming cossie.

As you carry your own hand luggage, even if they had to look at it when you checked in, you would still keep it with you overnight at the hotel, and would have access to it's contents.

It goes through security as you walk to the gate, and they will also check the size as you board the plane (usually just a very casual check, anything excessively large they will take off you and put it in the hold)

Bev

 

[neilybealy]

thanks for that info bev

 

[PAULINE HALL]

thank you for the info

 

[HolidayOrganizer]

Hi
Just a quick question on twilight checkin at Gatwick, is it only for Virgin passengers or for all airlines ??

 

[Paulab]

I'm pretty sure it is exclusive to Virgin.

 

[bagpi]

bonjour!

on the hand luggage front, you do need to take it with you to be checked, but not checked in. it is only for virgin flights, and when my parents went, the queue wasn't that bad. they put little stickers all over your documents to show that you've already checked in, and they will check your hand luggage thoroughly at twilight checkin, and also when you go through to departures.
on a quick note, if you are staying at a hotel over night, horley, and crawley are the most local towns. the number 100 bus can take you everywhere you need to go, and the bus stop is on the lower level of the north terminal. there are some nice restaurants in horley, and a cinema and nightclub in crawley.

thought this might be useful to someone xxxxx