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FAQ : Why can't I check in online? OLCI and boarding pass difficulties

Old Dec 22, 2017, 8:39 am
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Last edit by: EsherFlyer
This thread is dedicated to explaining some of the reasons why OLCI (Online Check-in) doesn't work on British Airways' website BA.com and / or its App software. The first post give the main reasons, and subsequent posts give more background. By all means reach out in this thread if you are still unsure. If you are new to the BA Forum - perhaps Google brought you here - have a look in the forum's stickies and Dashboard for more reference material.

Note that there is a HTML typo in the first link of the first thread. Try this instead: https://classic.checkmytrip.com/plne...&SITE=XCMTXXNS
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FAQ : Why can't I check in online? OLCI and boarding pass difficulties

Old Dec 31, 2017, 4:55 am
  #31  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,465
Originally Posted by Gerbs
I seem to consistently get a message during OLCI to the effect of "your passport must be checked at the airport" even after indicating that I wish to collect BPs at the airport and even though all API is correctly entered and acknowledged on BA.com to be complete. In addition, any seat changes made during the check-in process do not appear in MMB, although when collecting BPs at the airport, the new assignments are in place. A final wrinkle is that while BA.com shows "Check-in in progress", I get the confirmation e-mail indicating that I am in fact checked in!
I am not sure there is anything wrong here. If you are upgraded then unless you use the App then you only get visibility of that at the airport. If you move within a cabin but don't print your boarding pass then MMB initially says the previous seat, but as soon as you do print your boarding pass your boarding pass and MMB would correctly show the right seat. Since FLY there is (correctly) a message that your passport needs to be scanned if departing or arriving to/from the USA (it won't necessarly appear on other flights), it doesn't impinge the check-in process. And "in progress" means you haven't printed your boarding pass, which ties in with airport collection.
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Old Dec 31, 2017, 10:10 am
  #32  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA, DL, TK
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Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
I am not sure there is anything wrong here. If you are upgraded then unless you use the App then you only get visibility of that at the airport. If you move within a cabin but don't print your boarding pass then MMB initially says the previous seat, but as soon as you do print your boarding pass your boarding pass and MMB would correctly show the right seat. Since FLY there is (correctly) a message that your passport needs to be scanned if departing or arriving to/from the USA (it won't necessarly appear on other flights), it doesn't impinge the check-in process. And "in progress" means you haven't printed your boarding pass, which ties in with airport collection.
Thanks, that makes good sense. Turns out I *also* won the SSSS lottery from LHR-BOS, which is why I couldn't have printed that BP even if I'd wanted to.
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Old Dec 31, 2017, 10:08 pm
  #33  
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 22
Help! Cant check in / E-ticket number not issued

Booked a 241 in Business last year London to Buenos Aires and return Sao Paolo to London. Flight to Buenos Aires was all good but Im now having problems checking in for the return flight. Weird thing I managed to already select the seats pre check in phase. Now at check in I get the following 2 messages:

1. Pop up saying: check in status unknown. We could not get your E-ticket number so we are unable to determine your check in / boarding pass status. Please tap to continue to check in or see alternative ways of getting a boarding pass.

2. After I tap continue I get following message: not check in. Sorry we cannot check you in for this flight. Please go to the airport check in desk

I even downloaded this app called check my trip and it says booking is confirmed with the seats I selected but when I click on it there is no e-ticket number (unlike the LHR to Buenos Aires which does have the ticket number).

can someone explain to me whats going on. My flight is later today (yes 1st of Jan)...I tried calling BA customer service in Japan, HK, India, Australia and it says office is closed (despite being past 9am local time)...prob because 1st is a national holiday. Is there a 24h number I can reach them on? Need to know whats happening with my flight. Thx guys
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Old Dec 31, 2017, 10:43 pm
  #34  
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Have you changed your return reservation at after it was originally booked, such as an upgrade or date change? Thats often the reason for this event. You need to do one of two things, call BA now and ask them what the problem is. There is probably an amount of money to pay that was not taken earlier, they should be able to process the payment and get the ticket reissued.
The alternative is to arrive at the airport an hour or so earlier than you planned and head to the ticket/service desk. Personally, Id be making that phone call.
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Old Dec 31, 2017, 10:48 pm
  #35  
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Here’s a good place to locate a call centre, obviously it’s a public holiday in many countries but you should be able to find one that is open:
A tool for finding which BA offices are currently open

EDIT: It looks like that tool has now disappeared. The BA contact page will be found here: https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...boutCountry=JP

Last edited by Tobias-UK; Dec 31, 2017 at 11:10 pm
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Old Jan 1, 2018, 12:30 am
  #36  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
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Originally Posted by fomc
Is there a 24h number I can reach them on? Need to know whats happening with my flight. Thx guys
Others seem to report prompt replies on Twitter which BA say is 24 / 7 service, although might be slower today as well.
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Old Jan 1, 2018, 12:40 am
  #37  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
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Originally Posted by Tobias-UK
The BA contact page will be found here: https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...boutCountry=JP[/LEFT]
I just called 0344 493 0787 (options 3, 4, 1) and landed in the India call centre I think. I didn't try anything else, so maybe all the UK services are working.
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Old Jan 1, 2018, 1:48 am
  #38  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
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Originally Posted by fomc
Booked a 241 in Business last year London to Buenos Aires and return Sao Paolo to London. Flight to Buenos Aires was all good but Im now having problems checking in for the return flight. Weird thing I managed to already select the seats pre check in phase. Now at check in I get the following 2 messages:

1. Pop up saying: check in status unknown. We could not get your E-ticket number so we are unable to determine your check in / boarding pass status. Please tap to continue to check in or see alternative ways of getting a boarding pass.

2. After I tap continue I get following message: not check in. Sorry we cannot check you in for this flight. Please go to the airport check in desk

I even downloaded this app called check my trip and it says booking is confirmed with the seats I selected but when I click on it there is no e-ticket number (unlike the LHR to Buenos Aires which does have the ticket number).

can someone explain to me whats going on. My flight is later today (yes 1st of Jan)...I tried calling BA customer service in Japan, HK, India, Australia and it says office is closed (despite being past 9am local time)...prob because 1st is a national holiday. Is there a 24h number I can reach them on? Need to know whats happening with my flight. Thx guys
As Tobias stated, very common issue with any re issues, upgrades, booking return leg at a later time. This is an issue which should be quickly resolved at the airport, but I highly suggest checking in very early at the airport, or better yet reaching out on Twitter/Skype to alert them to the issue and have the ticketing team on the case. As it's all BA issued and BA metal it should all work out. Best of luck.
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Old Jan 1, 2018, 2:13 am
  #39  
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I will just add this link for the OP and any lurkers can find out more information.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...ficulties.html

There seems to be a spate of this happening recently, which makes me wonder if there is a heap of unticketed reservations in the back office.

Last edited by corporate-wage-slave; Jan 1, 2018 at 3:17 am Reason: remove circular reference
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Old Jan 1, 2018, 2:50 am
  #40  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: QF
Posts: 290
I'm having this problem too on all my codeshre flights (QF OWA). Spent 2 hours at DUB yesterday fixing for todays BA flights. Most outpost Agents seem to have difficulty.
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Old Jan 2, 2018, 9:30 am
  #41  
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: BA GGL
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A note of caution for anybody relying on getting a BP printed at the airport as I was this morning.

At the start of a B2B I had an agent at the First Wing tell me that she wasn't allowed to print the boarding pass for my return leg (MUC-LHR) because it was on a separate PNR to my outbound. She told me that every agent who had done it previously must have been breaking the rules.

Turns out she was getting confused with the ban on through-checking (I didn't have a bag), and my request for a supervisor got it dealt with quickly, but frustrating and potentially problematic for anybody taking the agent's word for it. First time I've encountered this, but I guess the point is be prepared to ask for a second opinion at the desk.

I thought her final remark "ok we can print it, but only because you don't have a bag to check" conveyed a worrying grasp of how the whole thing works, especially for a premium check in area.
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Old Jan 2, 2018, 10:20 am
  #42  
 
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 748
I'm trying to help my parents check in for LAX-LHR tomorrow and we're stuck in a loop on BA.com where it says "passport information required" and then when we go to add the "missing" info it says everything is complete and offers a tab to check in and then goes back to saying "passport information required" all over again. Any clue as to how to deal with this? This is the return of a round-trip.
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Old Jan 2, 2018, 10:26 am
  #43  
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Originally Posted by prof
I'm trying to help my parents check in for LAX-LHR tomorrow and we're stuck in a loop on BA.com where it says "passport information required" and then when we go to add the "missing" info it says everything is complete and offers a tab to check in and then goes back to saying "passport information required" all over again. Any clue as to how to deal with this? This is the return of a round-trip.
Have you tried changing and reversing the change as per Point 2 above? You could also try the App version, or alternatively on the Manage My Booking tab on the top of BA.com, try direct entry of the PNR and surname rather than the link from the BAEC pages.
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Old Jan 2, 2018, 10:30 am
  #44  
 
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 748
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
Have you tried changing and reversing the change as per Point 2 above? You could also try the App version, or alternatively on the Manage My Booking tab on the top of BA.com, try direct entry of the PNR and surname rather than the link from the BAEC pages.
Thanks CWS--I've tried different platforms (iPad, computer) and both via BAEC pages and plain old OLCI from the home page but to no avail. I didn't try changing details, so I'll give that a shot and see if it helps.
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Old Jan 2, 2018, 10:43 am
  #45  
 
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 748
Thanks again CWS--changing and re-changing the details worked. It's bizarre that a company as vast as BA has such fragile IT . . .
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