Originally Posted by
zrh2yvr
Hey - not sure if this was covered already - but - for USA bound flights there is a security requirement that all passengers in a pooled group be present together at checkin to check the bags. This is solely a US requirement.
From the Swiss website - this is the phrasing used
"If you are travelling to the United States and wish to check in baggage, you must be physically present at the check-in counter."
I don't read the quote above as suggesting that all passengers at the booking to need to be together for one to check their bag. To me it just reiterates what, as you kindly note, a couple of us already mentions which is that on some flights (this is mentioned for the US but I think it is true of some other destinations too, not least Israel), the person whose bag is checked needs to be physically present when this is done. So for a US (or Israel) trip for instance, the op's wife will have no issue checking her own bag on her own (or any bags within her allowance which she claims to be her own), and she would be expected to be able to answer any question about the said bags. However, if, say, she wanted to check in a bag for the OP on his allowance, she would not be able to do that without him being present. From the discussion above, rules are more relaxed for some other destinations.