24 hour check-in note

 
Old Aug 23, 2007 | 11:03 am
  #1  
nrr
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: jfk area
Programs: AA platinum; 2MM AA, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,291
24 hour check-in note

I have clocks that are "atomic" clocks and syncronized by NBS (via radio signals.)
At 11:20 am I tried checking in for a flight tomorrow at 11:20 am and got the a message that the system could not check me in and I would have to see an agent. [The inability to ci is sometimes because of SSSS.] A few seconds later I was able to ci and print my bp. aa's clocks may not be 100% in sych with NBS.
[I've been told by an aangel at an ac, that she knew two fliers who frequently flew on the same flight (both exps) and each one tried to check in before the other (from different locations)--frequently the time difference was only a few seconds--but the first one got the upgrade in some instances.]
nrr is offline  
Old Aug 23, 2007 | 12:31 pm
  #2  
30 Countries Visited
2M
15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Maryland Eastern Shore
Programs: AA: PP, MM/LTG | UA: SLV | Bonvoy LT Ti | HH Diamond | IHG PLT | Avis PC | National Executive
Posts: 1,094
Anyone can get an accurate "time hack" by calling (202) 762-1401--this will get you the continuous announcement of precise time for the U.S. Naval Observatory Master Clock. One can also go to http://www.time.gov/ or, if you have a GPS receiver, simply use the time from the display to get a very accurate time reading.

Networking uses GPS time signals to maintain synchronization within some specified parameters (I don't know what they are). As a practical matter, there is some time added by the cycle of processing (at the source)-transmitting-receiving-processing (at the destination)--think of it as analogous to the amount of time it takes you to hear/see the exact time and then react by pushing in the crown on your watch to restart it. This adds some error, along with the error inherent to the timekeeping instrument itself, which accounts for why your atomic clocks are most likely only accurate to within +/- 2 seconds or so.

Bottom line is that no matter how accurate any time source is, there will always be some error present at the user end of the time stream. So despite your clicking the "Check-in" button on aa.com at what you see as exactly 24 hours before your flight, it's a crap-shoot as to whether your request will arrive at precisely the moment that aa.com "sees" the time as 24 hours before your flight. Try always sending your request at 23:59:55 before--that usually works out well for me.

YMMV, of course!

cheers!

Last edited by AAir_head; Aug 23, 2007 at 10:06 pm
AAir_head is offline  
Old Aug 24, 2007 | 2:02 am
  #3  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,424
Originally Posted by AAir_head
Anyone can get an accurate "time hack" by calling (202) 762-1401--this will get you the continuous announcement of precise time for the U.S. Naval Observatory Master Clock. One can also go to http://www.time.gov/ or, if you have a GPS receiver, simply use the time from the display to get a very accurate time reading.

Networking uses GPS time signals to maintain synchronization within some specified parameters (I don't know what they are). As a practical matter, there is some time added by the cycle of processing (at the source)-transmitting-receiving-processing (at the destination)--think of it as analogous to the amount of time it takes you to hear/see the exact time and then react by pushing in the crown on your watch to restart it. This adds some error, along with the error inherent to the timekeeping instrument itself, which accounts for why your atomic clocks are most likely only accurate to within +/- 2 seconds or so.

Bottom line is that no matter how accurate any time source is, there will always be some error present at the user end of the time stream. So despite your clicking the "Check-in" button on aa.com at what you see as exactly 24 hours before your flight, it's a crap-shoot as to whether your request will arrive at precisely the moment that aa.com "sees" the time as 24 hours before your flight. Try always sending your request at 23:59:55 before--that usually works out well for me.

YMMV, of course!

cheers!
I usually just pick up the phone and dial POP-CORN. (767-2676)
It has worked in every city I have ever lived in, although Wikipedia says it is a California thing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speaking_clock
You might even get it to work with POP-xxxx, where xxxx is any four digit
mvoight is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.