TodayAA has recently been added to the small list of airlines that use this:
http://www.heathrowexpress.com/Home/Checkinatpaddington
It's a pale shadow of the former checkin desks, which were actually staffed by employees who could even do ticketing transactions, and where you could check in and leave your bags to be taken to LHR by the airline...
...but it seems that you can get a boarding pass and then drag your bags on the train yourself and leave them at the checkin at LHR instead.
Has anyone used this?
http://www.heathrowexpress.com/Home/Checkinatpaddington
It's a pale shadow of the former checkin desks, which were actually staffed by employees who could even do ticketing transactions, and where you could check in and leave your bags to be taken to LHR by the airline...
...but it seems that you can get a boarding pass and then drag your bags on the train yourself and leave them at the checkin at LHR instead.
Has anyone used this?
#3
Interesting. It looks like they've deployed a Common Use Self Service kiosk.
Not very interesting for those who do OLCI, and all the airlines listed allow for OLCI (except for AA, at least for now). However it can be very useful for a reprint of the boarding pass, change seats, add to standby/upgrade lists, and, of course, check in with AA until they fix their gaping OLCI shortcoming.
A bag drop would be sweet; that's one of my favorite aspects of taking the train to HKG airport.
Not very interesting for those who do OLCI, and all the airlines listed allow for OLCI (except for AA, at least for now). However it can be very useful for a reprint of the boarding pass, change seats, add to standby/upgrade lists, and, of course, check in with AA until they fix their gaping OLCI shortcoming.
A bag drop would be sweet; that's one of my favorite aspects of taking the train to HKG airport.
#4
intltraveller , Mar 4, 2010 8:16 am
I tried using it once but it didn't work (neither did the machines at Terminal 3).. I suspect it was because I don't have a US passport and they needed to double check my documents were in order before checking me in.
That said the system is exactly the same as what you would encounter within the Terminal 3 so perfect for anyone on the way to LHR who has a few minutes before their next train.
That said the system is exactly the same as what you would encounter within the Terminal 3 so perfect for anyone on the way to LHR who has a few minutes before their next train.
Quote:
Can you really do all these things from a non-AA-specific kiosk?Originally Posted by hillrider
However it can be very useful for a reprint of the boarding pass, change seats, add to standby/upgrade lists, and, of course, check in with AA until they fix their gaping OLCI shortcoming.
Quote:
A bag drop would be sweet; that's one of my favorite aspects of taking the train to HKG airport.
Indeed: that's what I miss most from the old Paddington check in (aside from the fact that, in the days before I had status, it was a wonderfully relaxing and empty place to check in since almost nobody else seemed to know about it).A bag drop would be sweet; that's one of my favorite aspects of taking the train to HKG airport.
#6
I used it a few weeks ago (on an AA flight) when I had a couple of minutes before the HX train left and it was fine (I had no checked luggage, though).
When I did get to T3, the check-in area looked to be quite swamped, so it turned out to save me a little bit of time.
When I did get to T3, the check-in area looked to be quite swamped, so it turned out to save me a little bit of time.
#7
Quote:
Not very interesting for those who do OLCI, and all the airlines listed allow for OLCI (except for AA, at least for now). However it can be very useful for a reprint of the boarding pass, change seats, add to standby/upgrade lists, and, of course, check in with AA until they fix their gaping OLCI shortcoming.
A bag drop would be sweet; that's one of my favorite aspects of taking the train to HKG airport.
I love the HKG Airport express system. It's great to be able to squeeze that extra time in Central!Originally Posted by hillrider
Interesting. It looks like they've deployed a Common Use Self Service kiosk.Not very interesting for those who do OLCI, and all the airlines listed allow for OLCI (except for AA, at least for now). However it can be very useful for a reprint of the boarding pass, change seats, add to standby/upgrade lists, and, of course, check in with AA until they fix their gaping OLCI shortcoming.
A bag drop would be sweet; that's one of my favorite aspects of taking the train to HKG airport.
#8
Quote:
Indeed: that's what I miss most from the old Paddington check in (aside from the fact that, in the days before I had status, it was a wonderfully relaxing and empty place to check in since almost nobody else seemed to know about it).
Since I normally stay at the Paddington Hilton I can checkin in and relax in the Executive lounge (which overviews the whole area and is better than the airport lounges) and head to HEX about 5 mins before the sked train depature.Originally Posted by salut0
Can you really do all these things from a non-AA-specific kiosk?Indeed: that's what I miss most from the old Paddington check in (aside from the fact that, in the days before I had status, it was a wonderfully relaxing and empty place to check in since almost nobody else seemed to know about it).
mike
#9
I am reading on the Heathrow Express webpage that it is possible to check-in with AA at the Paddington train station.
Has anybody here used this service before?
I guess checking in there is more convenient than checking in at the airport?
Any insights you have are welcome.
Has anybody here used this service before?
I guess checking in there is more convenient than checking in at the airport?
Any insights you have are welcome.
#11
Its no different than an online check-in but at a Kiosk you still have transport your own Baggage to Heathrow and check it in there.
#12
I stopped using Paddington since I moved to Richmond and started taking the Underground rather than HEX, but I believe they have kiosks at Paddington for printing your BP, although I'm almost certain they don't accept checked luggage there.
#13
Looking into this further, on AA.com it says that there are self-service check in machined near the heathrow express ticket counter but nothing more.
http://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/selfServ...le=selfservice
Look under London
http://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/selfServ...le=selfservice
Look under London
#14
Quote:
OP here.Originally Posted by UncleDude
Its no different than an online check-in but at a Kiosk you still have transport your own Baggage to Heathrow and check it in there.
So there is no TA @ Paddington?
Unfortunately, I always have to check-in with a TA for international travel
[name mismatch in docs and nationality issues which will be resolved soon]
#15
Given how ridiculously expensive the Heathrow Express is, it wouldn't hurt them to invest some of their no-doubt massive profits into providing real check-in facilities at Paddington. Something comparable to that offered on Hong Kong island and Kowloon for HKG would be great.