ragtop

I'm a million miler and AS has done this to me too when I got to the front of the check-in counter 38 minutes before departure earlier this year. I had to accept that it was my own screw-up and be reminded to start out for the airport earlier next time. Seems the same might apply here.

lastquestion

This has happened to me also. Got the "couldn't check in" online issue, but made it in time before -40 cut off, but no one was at the desk.

I bought a fully refundable ticket for another airline, got a ticket printed, walked through security, got a ticket printed at the boarding gate for my original flight, cancelled the refundable ticket.

^

Still was pissed about it though, and I didn't take a picture of the gate at -42 or whatever, so I let it go.

bofc

So many people lecturing about the 'lesson learned" and defending the bureaucratic agent to the bitter end! My guess is they are the same people who complain about other "rules" that they recognize as absurd when they are on the wrong end of the strict enforcement (small example being a Board Room rule: No cheese comes out until the soup is all gone). If relaxing the rule here had a negative impact on ANYONE (other passengers, departure time, airport staffing requirements, etc.) I'd get it. But in this case it was a nasty agent who gets her fun by sticking it to the passenger (kids are often targets - less likely to complain). And people jump to the defense of AS! How about defending common sense and print the boarding pass, with the lesson being "you got lucky this time because someone at AS cared enough to help you - but you can't count on it". Instead the lesson learned is "AS agents LOVE to stick it to passengers so don't count on getting help even if you are a minute late and it has no adverse impact on anyone". They should hire the helpful security guard and re-assign the nasty agent. There's poison in the AS culture - beware!

jrl767

as my father used to say, "Well known to those who know it well."

at SEA or ABQ or JFK that might work ... and even if OP's daughter is an experienced traveler, I'm not sure there's another airline with service out of PSC at the time in question

jerry a. laska

AS went to 40 minutes a year or so ago. Even when it was 30 minutes people would complain that they weren't allow to check in at 29 minutes. I've fallen afoul of this myself. It wasn't fun but it was my own fault for arriving so late at the airport.

I'm not willing to say "in this case it was a nasty agent who gets her fun by sticking it to the passenger." I don't believe that there is any evidence of that. AS and other airlines really push their employees to follow policy more than ever. Many senior employees who might have departed from policy have retired or been downsized. I don't believe that deviations from policy are exactly looked upon favorably anymore. I don't really feel it is appropriate to characterize a front-line employee as nasty and sadistic for following company policy when I don't have know how not following policy might affect that person's job with the company.

In my opinion, it's more something that should be addressed to AS management for imposing the 40 minute requirement rather than attacking front line agents for following the policy.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alask...0-minutes.html

lastquestion

Yeah, i'm not saying that this is what "she should have done", just merely recounting what I did. I remember being really annoyed though, almost angry.


I actually walked the desks to find an airline allowing checkin..the flight doesn't have to be "soon", just so long the airline is willing to check you in.

Since you can check in 24 hours before online, I haven't tried this, but it seems feasible to get a printed boarding pass for a flight 18 hours out.

Of course this only works if there are people manning the desks at the other airlines.

ANC

thats the same when I fly in and out of CWA.

ANC

but if checkin was already closed then thats it... not a whole lot can be done

Often1

Recommended means recommended. The cut off is just that. If AS recommends 60 minutes and has a cutoff at 40, you are OK if checked in at T-41 even though you may have cut it close.

I still believe that dumping on the GA's for not running over to help OP's daughter is an over-simplification. OP knows what his daughter told him and she only knows what she could see. GA's have many responsibilities and it's not just a question of closing the door as it is on a bus. GA's supply load and other information to the dispatcher and that information is used to calculate weight & balance.

There are also other pax who may require help and are standing patiently in line. So, the question becomes whether you ditch the guy who was timely for the person who was not.

All that said, if OP's daughter can demonstrate that she was at check-in no later than T-40, she has a valid complaint. But, T-40 really means T-40.

ScoobyScott

This all happened at a little airport. Don't usually at the smaller airports employees have double duties? The person at the ticket counter is also the gate agent even has to help with the baggage, etc..? Rules may be stricter at smaller airport without a lot of employees.

BOB W

This can happen at larger airports also. The young lady that checked me in prior to security at DFW this past Monday was manning the gate when we boarded. I've also seen this at SEA from time to time.

UAPremierExec

Agents' side:

1. Flight could have been oversold/weight restricted. Leaving the counter RIGHT at cut-off is a great way to avoid IDB's (invol denied boarding). Agents can go into Native sabre, type T*SEA (seattle), print it - and viola, there is proof they were at counter at T-39 (1 minute after cut off). It also prints the date. Big "trick" used by USAirways (well, when they were on Sabre), American Eagle, etc.

2. They didn't see the customers. Most agents DO want to do a job, and realize that when they get done working a flight there are going to be some very angry people at the counter. Easier to just throw them on the plane than get yelled at. Everyone is human.

Passenger's side:

- should have arrived even earlier since it said an agent intervention was required

- Next time take a picture. I recently did this at a Hertz counter and it got a LOT of attention, along with a written apology.

Earendel

This is my SOP. I always check-in and print my boarding passes the day before a flight. My son flew home from college (LAX-SEA) yesterday, and I checked him in the day before. Anybody can do an online check-in if you have the confirmation code. Heck, they even let you email the boarding passes to yourself. And even if you are already checked-in, you can check-in again at the airport and print your BPs. So many options here, there is no excuse not to be checked-in the day before a flight.

ANC

I can also add HNL and OGG to that list. Seems to happen often at locations where AS contracts the ground services. I cant say how HNL is now though with so many more flights they probably have dedicated gate and checkin people. I havent flown to HNL since most flights were added. When I was last there it was 2x daily SEA 1x 3 or 4 days a week to ANC

czpdx

Did anyone read the OP? The traveler could not check in online because it kicked back an error to see an agent.