I know this is a little bit off the topic, but I'm sure several others can attest to this. Most of the time when I fly UA from the US and connect with bmi, UA cannot check me in for my connecting flight with bmi, as 'they cannot access the bmi system' (I no longer have the energy to even raise an eyebrow about this...). So back on track...this means I have to get to terminal 1 and then go through security and then check in at this measly little bmi desk which always has a long line. I would have thought that bmi could put up a better showing here, and what really gets me is that there is no gold line . Thus I always end up using UA to check me in, even though they are 1 desk down, it's a shame really. Not what I really want after a transatlantic...

So it seems the problem isn't confined to preliminary check-in's...