Originally Posted by
wiggy
Just a minor point but on the basis of painful personal experience I wouldn't rely on being able to do that at all LHR terminals and with all airlines at LHR these days. Once the shutters come down at T minus X it seems to be increasingly difficult to get the computer to change it's mind....regardless of you being stood at the gate, with your hadn baggage, with the jetty still on and the aircraft doors still open.
Well, it's not universal, but in my experience if you turn up and there are still others missing and you've already been offloaded then they will usually put you back on. Of course if you turn up with literally a few minutes to go and they have already finalised the flight and closed up then the chances of you getting on are slim.