New Trial - Automatic Check-In for certain routes
Oct 1, 2013, 7:26 am
#16
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It is a trial (though they've already had one trial relating to destinations in France) and it is opt in.
It would be useful for me, I have a lot of flights and it is sometimes tricky getting the time to check in for them all. I am also not that bothered where I sit on short haul, I've got plenty of other things to worry about. If you are busy and not too fussy this idea has some benefits.
The one thing that would concern me though is this: what if you opted in, you ticket hasn't been issued at that stage (not unusual) but remains unissued at T-25 (unusual). You don't really notice the absence of the emailed boarding pass, you then get to the airport and the ticket is stuck (and it's 3am in the UK).
It would be useful for me, I have a lot of flights and it is sometimes tricky getting the time to check in for them all. I am also not that bothered where I sit on short haul, I've got plenty of other things to worry about. If you are busy and not too fussy this idea has some benefits.
The one thing that would concern me though is this: what if you opted in, you ticket hasn't been issued at that stage (not unusual) but remains unissued at T-25 (unusual). You don't really notice the absence of the emailed boarding pass, you then get to the airport and the ticket is stuck (and it's 3am in the UK).
Oct 1, 2013, 7:27 am
#17
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ipswich
Posts: 7,543
If this takes off then I guess those who opt out could find pretty limited choice when they come to check in on the dot of OLCI opening.
Preferring to select your own seat may turn out to be the lesser of the two options.
Preferring to select your own seat may turn out to be the lesser of the two options.
Oct 1, 2013, 7:57 am
#18
Join Date: May 2009
Location: London
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,744
It is a trial (though they've already had one trial relating to destinations in France) and it is opt in.
It would be useful for me, I have a lot of flights and it is sometimes tricky getting the time to check in for them all. I am also not that bothered where I sit on short haul, I've got plenty of other things to worry about. If you are busy and not too fussy this idea has some benefits.
The one thing that would concern me though is this: what if you opted in, you ticket hasn't been issued at that stage (not unusual) but remains unissued at T-25 (unusual). You don't really notice the absence of the emailed boarding pass, you then get to the airport and the ticket is stuck (and it's 3am in the UK).
It would be useful for me, I have a lot of flights and it is sometimes tricky getting the time to check in for them all. I am also not that bothered where I sit on short haul, I've got plenty of other things to worry about. If you are busy and not too fussy this idea has some benefits.
The one thing that would concern me though is this: what if you opted in, you ticket hasn't been issued at that stage (not unusual) but remains unissued at T-25 (unusual). You don't really notice the absence of the emailed boarding pass, you then get to the airport and the ticket is stuck (and it's 3am in the UK).
The hand baggage only fares 'trial' shows how these things go.
Oct 1, 2013, 9:05 am
#19
Join Date: Aug 2002
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So if you have pre-selected for example seat 3F at booking and use auto check-in it won't shift you into a different seat? If not it seems like a good idea to me but not if it has the possibility of changing your seat without your knowing and then issues a boarding pass that then can't be changed.
Oct 1, 2013, 9:10 am
#20
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Why would they auto check in at T-25? At OLCI at T-24 there'll be no seats left for people that want to choose one. Isn't that one of BAs selling points? "A free choice of seats at OLCI"? Unless of course they open OLCI at T-48.
Why not auto-check in at T-6 (or sometime like that) so people that actually want a choice of seat (for free) can get it at OLCI, and people that don't care either way (I mean if you've not paid for a seat, and haven't OLCI early, then you probably don't care) get the seat leftovers at T-6, same as arriving late at the airport.
Why not auto-check in at T-6 (or sometime like that) so people that actually want a choice of seat (for free) can get it at OLCI, and people that don't care either way (I mean if you've not paid for a seat, and haven't OLCI early, then you probably don't care) get the seat leftovers at T-6, same as arriving late at the airport.
I think LX has a system like this. IIRC, you can OLCI at T-23h (or a little before that), and auto check-in takes place at T-20h. That means that you can OLCI manually even if you have opted in to auto check-in, thus getting a better chance at a good choice of seats - but if you can't get to OLCI before T-20h, then the computer will do you automatically at that point.
To me, that makes more sense than doing the auto check-in before anyone's had a chance to pick their own seats at T-24h.
Oct 1, 2013, 9:21 am
#22
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,648
.The bean counters probably decided that there was too much choice at T-24 and that not enough passengers were paying for seat selection. This enhancement should fix that once and for all.
Edit: Sorry Jenbel you got that point in before me.
Oct 1, 2013, 4:33 pm
#24
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Join Date: May 2001
Location: Katoomba (Blue Mountains)
Programs: Mucci
Posts: 8,083
I don't like the way everything has been rebranded.
To us old school airline employees (ex-employee, in my case) "check-in" occurred when presenting at the airport saying "I am ready to fly", in other words, "checking-in". At LHR T5, this is now called "conformance".
I have never liked the idea of online checkin, using whatever means you use to do so. In actual fact, all it is is advanced seat selection and boarding pass printing.
How is the airline to know whether or not someone has been delayed en route after remote check-in? What if their taxi had a flat tyre, or was delayed on the wrong side of a traffic accident? The airline would not know that the passenger is delayed, all they would know is that they had "checked in" but could not be found at boarding time. (As noted, at T5 this is not an issue, as the passenger would not make conformance, but what about elsewhere?)
Sorry for my rant, but "Auto check in" will make this worse! What if the passenger had been in a car crash, and being hospitalised was unable to notify the airline that they would not be flying? They would be checked in, and the airline would be looking for them just prior to flight closure, and there is no way that the airline would know that they were unable to fly that day.
Dave
To us old school airline employees (ex-employee, in my case) "check-in" occurred when presenting at the airport saying "I am ready to fly", in other words, "checking-in". At LHR T5, this is now called "conformance".
I have never liked the idea of online checkin, using whatever means you use to do so. In actual fact, all it is is advanced seat selection and boarding pass printing.
How is the airline to know whether or not someone has been delayed en route after remote check-in? What if their taxi had a flat tyre, or was delayed on the wrong side of a traffic accident? The airline would not know that the passenger is delayed, all they would know is that they had "checked in" but could not be found at boarding time. (As noted, at T5 this is not an issue, as the passenger would not make conformance, but what about elsewhere?)
Sorry for my rant, but "Auto check in" will make this worse! What if the passenger had been in a car crash, and being hospitalised was unable to notify the airline that they would not be flying? They would be checked in, and the airline would be looking for them just prior to flight closure, and there is no way that the airline would know that they were unable to fly that day.
Dave
Oct 1, 2013, 4:41 pm
#25
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,247
If all seats have already been assigned by this, there is no choice remaining. Currently, those in the know profit from others who either don't care or have not figured out how to select seats.
I also fail to see any benefits to customers.
Oct 1, 2013, 4:49 pm
#26
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: LHR- ish
Programs: MUCCI, BA Blue
Posts: 4,295
This is what I would do.
I think LX has a system like this. IIRC, you can OLCI at T-23h (or a little before that), and auto check-in takes place at T-20h. That means that you can OLCI manually even if you have opted in to auto check-in, thus getting a better chance at a good choice of seats - but if you can't get to OLCI before T-20h, then the computer will do you automatically at that point.
To me, that makes more sense than doing the auto check-in before anyone's had a chance to pick their own seats at T-24h.
I think LX has a system like this. IIRC, you can OLCI at T-23h (or a little before that), and auto check-in takes place at T-20h. That means that you can OLCI manually even if you have opted in to auto check-in, thus getting a better chance at a good choice of seats - but if you can't get to OLCI before T-20h, then the computer will do you automatically at that point.
To me, that makes more sense than doing the auto check-in before anyone's had a chance to pick their own seats at T-24h.
What might be good is an optional auto-check at, say, T-20 that you can opt into from T-48 onwards. That would help people who are disconnected but still benefit those who OLCI themselves at T-24.
At the moment it just sounds like a scheme to get people to pay for seating. Not that it would make much difference to me, LH i'll pay anyway to make sure I get a decent seat and SH I don't really care.
Oct 1, 2013, 5:13 pm
#27
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,609
Why not auto-check in at T-6 (or sometime like that) so people that actually want a choice of seat (for free) can get it at OLCI, and people that don't care either way (I mean if you've not paid for a seat, and haven't OLCI early, then you probably don't care) get the seat leftovers at T-6, same as arriving late at the airport..
Oct 1, 2013, 5:28 pm
#29
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As others have pointed out AF has had auto check in for four years. Essentially an unmitigated disaster especially for people with "unusual situations" (co travellers on separate pnrs, people with infants etc). Also, those of us keen enough to check in when olci opens (t-30 with AF t-24 with ba) essentially get trumped by people who didn't really use to care. You can of course change your seat but if 2/3 of the cabin has been auto assigned this is of little use. Very easyjetish if you ask me.