Yeah, that's just a new one for me. Like earlier posted I typically am on a star alliance carrier- I buy my tickets on line, confirm my seat online at ticket purchase, I check in online anytime after 24hrs before the flight, I print my BP at home/hotel/office- never stop at any counters or wait at a gate. I walk on the plane with what I printed at my house including the seat assignment? If (almost never) I check a bag, the bag checkin line gives me my bp.

All that to say, I don't think in all my flying I have ever gone to a gate without a bp! (with the exception of cancelled flights which always you end up with either a confirmed later BP and a dm card for any flight you are standby?)

Maybe with non-star alliance carriers, the norm is as has been posted here of waiting at the gate for a bp. Although, in the last few months I have 4 DL flights, 1 AA flight (non star) and I had bp's for those too.

Interesting. Now that's ice fishin!

Gotta run, trip to PHX next couple weeks and I need to compare DEN-PHX R/T UA fares vs. WN fares vs. F9 fares...