"Your reservation requires special handling. Please check in at an airport kiosk"
 

Have a flight for tomorrow going to Costa Rica, and when I try to do OLCI I get a message that says:


Your reservation requires special handling. Please check in at an airport kiosk.

Am wondering if this is happening to more people, or if it's something about my profile on their new system.

Figured this might be an issue, but oh, well... Tomorrow I'll have to be patient then and go early enough to wade through "issues" at the airport.

Passport?

It could be tied to Costa Rica visa requirements. If Costa Rica requires a visa before arrival, then UA will want to see that you've got the visa before they check you into the flight. It happens to me quite often.

I'd be surprised if it was merger related.

I'd DEFINITELY get to the airport 3 or more hours early to check in.

Costa Rica does not require a visa (assuming you're holding a US Passport).

Does the reservation on the new united.com say that your reservation is out of sync? If so call up and ask them to re-sync it and then you can OLCI.

-RM

What did UA say when OP called them to ask?

LOL. Thats a classic, brought to you by the racketeers at United. I got that message once and the counter agent comes over to assist me (I guess I looked like a moron). She said I was lucky to be checking in early to get a seat because the plane is totally full. I told her I have a ticket and an assigned so I'm not worried. She then said for just $75 I could have a seat with 5 inched more leg room. I said. I thought you told me there are no more seats???
With United, its a total atmosphere of shameful Al Capone-ish rackerteering

I had the same issue when trying to check in for my flight tomorrow to LAS so it seems to me like a tech issue rather than a visa issue

What the hell is re-sync???? Is this another way for United to jerk us around???

More likely related to the cut over to SHARES that took place last night.

it's an IT issue. i had that not too long ago with a flight from SFO-JFK even. it happens, and it's not the end of the world. just go a little early and check in. you'll live.

I got the same message. And couldn't change seat assignments on an SFO-IAD flight. (Lovely center seat, both directions.) Things worked yesterday, but it's conversion weekend.

Dude, chill out.

It's nothing to do with extra legroom sales.

Online check-in is at least mostly, if not completely, non-functional today, due to the overnight merger.

To be honest, I didn't even try calling yet... as many people say it could be related to my passport needing to be scanned by the machines or something like that. But was wondering if it was something just happening on my side or also appearing across the board (sounds like it's mostly an issue on my reservation then).

Thanks,
Mike

I think your passport needs to be scanned/checked at the airport. I had that occur when I flew on CO international for the first time in years. I called the elite desk and there was nothing they could do.

Had the same message for ORD-LAX today- online and at kiosk. Just got BP thru agent - easy.

But, all anybody on FT can do is surmise what the reason might be. Could be anything or nothing. Clearly it bothers you enough to post on FT. Therefore, you ought to call and find out and thus clear up whatever the issue may be.