FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,043
Wow. Shockingly bad advice from the agent. There's nothing you can do to prevent yourself being deemed a no-show. Checking in but not showing up is irrelevant, probably makes things a bit worse.
Maybe the agent is right, but I would have thought we would have heard about a formal policy change by now. (based on the court case)
Good luck and please report back whatever the outcome....