SAS EuroBonus - Using card in lieu of BP

I tried to travel without printing a BP the other day at CPH. I checked in online. Then then next day I went down to the lobby of the Hilton to try to print a BP but the machine would only let me change seats. So I thought that I would just use my card like I see some people do. And the trip was a one way purchased on sas.se and I was using my EBS card so should be no complications.

The security people couldn't read the card. (Being a humble *G I went to the normal security that also posted 1 min waiting time.)

So then I went to the machine close to Fast Track and it was the same deal as with the Hilton lobby machine. Luckily there was a nice girl there at Fast Track, so she printed the BP for me and let me through.

So, what went wrong?

Was the FOID (Form of ID) on your e-ticket your EBS card and not some credit card for example? Where were you crediting your miles to? EB or UA?

When you have OLCI and entered the Eurobonus number as your FF program the EB card is supposed to work even is the FOID line in the reservation is another card.
Actually, travelling without a printed BP works like a breeze at ARN, OSL, GOT, MMX and ARN everytime for me. Even if I have a BP at CPH I have stopped showing but use my EB card instead.

Everything was on EBS card.

I´ve noticed that once you have checked in online, the machines won´t let you print a boarding card , just as you describe. You used to be able to do that, but that option went away some months ago.

I tried to travel without printing a BP the other day at CPH. I checked in online. Then then next day I went down to the lobby of the Hilton to try to print a BP but the machine would only let me change seats. So I thought that I would just use my card like I see some people do. And the trip was a one way purchased on sas.se and I was using my EBS card so should be no complications.

The security people couldn't read the card. (Being a humble *G I went to the normal security that also posted 1 min waiting time.)

So then I went to the machine close to Fast Track and it was the same deal as with the Hilton lobby machine. Luckily there was a nice girl there at Fast Track, so she printed the BP for me and let me through.

Me and my girlfriend had almost exactly the same problem flying to TKU in July. We were traveling on separate tickets and both using our combined Diners/EB-cards as FOID.

We arrived at the airport and went straight to (normal) security. The guys there tried both the readers but it didn't work. They told us to go to a machine and print a BP. We went but of course it wasn't possible to print. Went back to security and they didn't believe us but tried to swipe our cards again. They said that something is probably wrong with "the system". At that time we were already in a hurry. We ran back to the check in counters. We skipped a long queue and went to desk that was closing. The two ladies didn't want to deal with our problem but when I said that we're missing our flight they tried to swipe our cards again and told us that our cards are faulty! I still use the card almost every day and there's definitely nothing wrong with it. The ladies then started pointing at the screen in front of them, shaking their heads and talking fast and a lot in Danish. I only understood something that sounded like "same boarding number". Then they gave us our BP’s and wrote "FAST TRACK OK" on them and told us to use FT. Then we ran to FT. There we were told that we can't use FT because "They're not allowed to write "FT OK" on the BP’s anymore. At that time I was furious and the lady at FT clearly noticed it and after I had told her what was going on she told us it's OK for us to use FT this time. At the gate I gave the GA my DC/EB-card and magically it worked! Luckily we didn't miss our flight.

The only explanation I can think of is that when I checked us in online I didn't exit the browser or anything between sessions and maybe we really got the same boarding number?

I love SAS IT!

Ps. If it makes any difference, it was an award flight

I think that I hit "print BP" when I did the online check-in, but that shouldn't negate using the card. I wonder when you can check in with the machine? Most people don't access to them a day in advance.

It couldn't be the boarding number for me since I was traveling alone.

It didn't take very long for the FT agent to fix it.

It's idiotic if you can't reprint a BP in the machine.

I think that I hit "print BP" when I did the online check-in, but that shouldn't negate using the card.
Shouldn't or doesn't? I'm not sure if I hit "print BP" or not but I don't think so. If I did, maybe that has got something to do with the problem we experienced.


It couldn't be the boarding number for me since I was traveling alone.
OK, then it probably wasn't the boarding number for us either.

It didn't take very long for the FT agent to fix it.
And still many of you status PAX complain that you don't benefit from status. ;) I for sure would have liked to be able to walk straight to FT and have our problem solved.

It's idiotic if you can't reprint a BP in the machine.
Yes, it most certainly is.

I think that I hit "print BP" when I did the online check-in, but that shouldn't negate using the card.

I never print out BP when checking in online, and were it is possible I try to travel completely ticketless that is not printing BP on machine either. I travel often from OSL/ARN/CPH and have never experienced problems at security or at gate (there is no check at security at OSL).

However, when I travelled with a colleague of mine he had printed BP after online check-in, and at the security check at CPH his card was not accepted. The security guy said that the FOID is not accepted if you have printed the BP online.

I never print out BP when checking in online, and were it is possible I try to travel completely ticketless that is not printing BP on machine either. I travel often from OSL/ARN/CPH and have never experienced problems at security or at gate (there is no check at security at OSL).

However, when I travelled with a colleague of mine he had printed BP after online check-in, and at the security check at CPH his card was not accepted. The security guy said that the FOID is not accepted if you have printed the BP online.

Aha. Maybe that's why. But that's stupid.

I am going ARN-FRA on Friday. But here I have a printer. And this one I am putting on UA.......

Shouldn't or doesn't? I'm not sure if I hit "print BP" or not but I don't think so. If I did, maybe that has got something to do with the problem we experienced.

And still many of you status PAX complain that you don't benefit from status. ;) I for sure would have liked to be able to walk straight to FT and have our problem solved.

If you could remember then we maybe could solve the puzzle.:)

Note that I am *G and EBS, which makes me ineligible for FT with an M class ticket, but there was a friendly young girl there.

The FT policy at CPH is especially annoying when you are "other" *G because of the detour to the lounge. At ARN it doesn't make much difference unless there is a long line.

I travel often from OSL/ARN/CPH and have never experienced problems at security or at gate (there is no check at security at OSL).


But there's a check when entering the international part of the terminal at OSL. Do they have card scanners nowadays - somehow I seem to only remember a pair of rent-a-cops standing there and checking your BPs?

I seem to only remember a pair of rent-a-cops standing there and checking your BPs?

It's still done this way

If you could remember then we maybe could solve the puzzle.:)
I'm now thinking that I probably did click on "Print" to have a look at the printed version of the BP. So let's consider this mystery solved. :)

When you have OLCI and entered the Eurobonus number as your FF program the EB card is supposed to work even is the FOID line in the reservation is another card.
Indeed yes. A few times I have had bookings made by a travel agency who did not have my EB-number when the reservation was made.
A quick call to SAS to have the EB-number entered in the booking and after that the EB-card works as both ticket and BP.
Never a problem!

I´ve noticed that once you have checked in online, the machines won´t let you print a boarding card , just as you describe. You used to be able to do that, but that option went away some months ago.
Interesting! Last time I did that was in August and then it worked fine.
I didn't know if all airports along the route would accept just my EB-card as e-ticket so wanted a printed BP just in case.
Just inserted my EB-card in the check-in machine and had a printed BP in my hand within 30 seconds.

Interesting! Last time I did that was in August and then it worked fine.
I didn't know if all airports along the route would accept just my EB-card as e-ticket so wanted a printed BP just in case.
Just inserted my EB-card in the check-in machine and had a printed BP in my hand within 30 seconds.

The last time that I have been able to print out a boarding card at the SAS self service machines , after I´ve used web checkin and printed a card at home must be back in March / April. That is unless I want to change my seat. This is CPH but maybe its different from airport to airport.

I flew from CPH to EWR last month - did online checkin, and used my EBG card as the boarding pass all the way to the gate.. no problems at all.
Except when I tried to board they woudn't accept the card and I had to queue up at the service desk for them to print me a boarding pass. Strange, and a little annoying.