Dec 22, 2017, 8:39 am
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
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
FAQ : Why can't I check in online? OLCI and boarding pass difficulties
Feb 23, 2018, 4:18 am
#61
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,499
Feb 23, 2018, 4:38 am
#62
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,591
and guess what happened after he pressed it...
Mar 5, 2018, 10:13 pm
#65
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: US/UK - and elsewhere
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,557
Bit of a weird one:
I bought a fairly last-minute (T-27 hours) TATL redemption. Usually it will pull across my details from my exec club profile (name, dob, etc). It didn't, although same thing happened one time before, so didn't worry too much. However, upon hitting 'save' it comes up with 'can't save, someone else accessing your profile' and returned to a new blank form. Filled in again, no problem this time. Come OLCI it comes up with a message saying I didn't have an ESTA/GC/visa and gave me a link to fill in the form again. Dutifully done, I 'saved' it okay, but still couldn't check in. Phoned BA, "oh there are two passports on this booking, one of them Canadian", - not me! They managed to remove that, but how another passport got on I don't know! (Oh, and I still can't do an OLCI - probably the dreaded SSSS!).
I bought a fairly last-minute (T-27 hours) TATL redemption. Usually it will pull across my details from my exec club profile (name, dob, etc). It didn't, although same thing happened one time before, so didn't worry too much. However, upon hitting 'save' it comes up with 'can't save, someone else accessing your profile' and returned to a new blank form. Filled in again, no problem this time. Come OLCI it comes up with a message saying I didn't have an ESTA/GC/visa and gave me a link to fill in the form again. Dutifully done, I 'saved' it okay, but still couldn't check in. Phoned BA, "oh there are two passports on this booking, one of them Canadian", - not me! They managed to remove that, but how another passport got on I don't know! (Oh, and I still can't do an OLCI - probably the dreaded SSSS!).
Mar 15, 2018, 6:18 am
#66
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 88
Went to check in online this morning DVB to LGW but wasn't able to and read that this isn't available there. So will have to check in at airport and see if we can change seats but of course everyone will be doing it .The question is does anyone know what time check inn opens and what stand number. Thank you
Mar 15, 2018, 6:29 am
#67
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: 63,804
Went to check in online this morning DVB to LGW but wasn't able to and read that this isn't available there. So will have to check in at airport and see if we can change seats but of course everyone will be doing it .The question is does anyone know what time check inn opens and what stand number. Thank you
Despite it being one of the airport-only check-in locations, any seat holds / paid seats will be respected.
Mar 19, 2018, 5:40 am
#69
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Berlin
Programs: BA Gold; Accor Plat; IHG Diamond-Amb; Meliá & HH & Marriott Gold
Posts: 5,450
I only found this thread today -- thanks for all the work so far, c-w-s and others. ^
I'm a little surprised not to see any mention of the issue that has caused approx. 80% of the OLCI problems I and my family have encountered, especially with flights to and from the US: discrepancies, usually very slight, in the way that hyphenated or muli-part names are recorded in different systems. If one or more of the following don't have exactly the same last or family name(s) stored, problems can occur: ticketing airline, operating airline, FFP, passport, visa or green card. (The jury's still out on whether the name on the credit card used to purchase a ticket can also be an issue. I think it probably can, at least when the US is involved.)
The simple presence or absence of a hyphen or space can be enough and it's not always easy to see what is stored where. You can almost always retrieve a booking by entering BISCUITBARREL/TARQUINMR, but not always tell whether the databases that need to match have recorded your name as BISCUIT-BARREL, BISCUIT BARREL or BISCUITBARREL. Problems can also be caused by umlauts, or if your name has ended up being stored as plain BARREL (possibly with BISCUIT entered as a forename).
In my experience these issues are easily resolved at the airport but almost never -- once the OLCI window has arrived -- on the phone or online. That can mean going to the airport much earlier than would otherwise have been necessary, so if this happens to you a lot it's worth trying to identify and eliminate the root cause before booking.
I'm a little surprised not to see any mention of the issue that has caused approx. 80% of the OLCI problems I and my family have encountered, especially with flights to and from the US: discrepancies, usually very slight, in the way that hyphenated or muli-part names are recorded in different systems. If one or more of the following don't have exactly the same last or family name(s) stored, problems can occur: ticketing airline, operating airline, FFP, passport, visa or green card. (The jury's still out on whether the name on the credit card used to purchase a ticket can also be an issue. I think it probably can, at least when the US is involved.)
The simple presence or absence of a hyphen or space can be enough and it's not always easy to see what is stored where. You can almost always retrieve a booking by entering BISCUITBARREL/TARQUINMR, but not always tell whether the databases that need to match have recorded your name as BISCUIT-BARREL, BISCUIT BARREL or BISCUITBARREL. Problems can also be caused by umlauts, or if your name has ended up being stored as plain BARREL (possibly with BISCUIT entered as a forename).
In my experience these issues are easily resolved at the airport but almost never -- once the OLCI window has arrived -- on the phone or online. That can mean going to the airport much earlier than would otherwise have been necessary, so if this happens to you a lot it's worth trying to identify and eliminate the root cause before booking.
Mar 24, 2018, 1:05 pm
#70
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Dorset, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 635
I've got a fun new one from the last day or two - on one of the OTP-PHX run tickets this weekend and I can't check in for any sector online. OLCI showing it as being unable to check in due to "probably" requiring assistance or being an unaccompanied minor on every sector. I'm half expecting this is going to result in an SSSS on Monday's BA1 but nevertheless a new one for my eyes at least.
May 10, 2018, 6:02 am
#71
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 5
i have a codeshare flight AA/BA from Europe to USA. Booking the ticket on AA homepage.
A few days after booking I aded my API dates on AA homepage via my PNR record number. Controlling the dates today again i looked that I aded a incorrect birthday on API. And I cant change it. Ican change all the Otter API dates, but birthday is grey and I can not change ir.
on the british Homepage was also the incorrect birthday in there APIs. But on the british page i could it edit and change my fals birthday to the correct way. Now I have on AA a incorrect birthday on API and on BA it is correct. I called AA , but they told me they cant change it, but should be no Problem
First Flight ist with BA than change in LHR to AAShould I be able again to correct my birthday on Online checkin or when a scan/ swiche my passeport on checkin ? And will I be able to do online Checkin on BA? Thank you
A few days after booking I aded my API dates on AA homepage via my PNR record number. Controlling the dates today again i looked that I aded a incorrect birthday on API. And I cant change it. Ican change all the Otter API dates, but birthday is grey and I can not change ir.
on the british Homepage was also the incorrect birthday in there APIs. But on the british page i could it edit and change my fals birthday to the correct way. Now I have on AA a incorrect birthday on API and on BA it is correct. I called AA , but they told me they cant change it, but should be no Problem
First Flight ist with BA than change in LHR to AAShould I be able again to correct my birthday on Online checkin or when a scan/ swiche my passeport on checkin ? And will I be able to do online Checkin on BA? Thank you
If i should be able to checkin online on BA, could they give me also the AA BP for my connecting flight from LHR to MIA? And are the API dates sent directly by BA (first flight) to the US immigration , or have i to do in LHR again the API ? Thank you
Last edited by Aquado; May 10, 2018 at 8:45 am
May 29, 2018, 10:06 pm
#72
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 32
So I have a flight today from HKG to LHR. It's a one-way avios redemption in world traveller (so downgrade unlikely!). It won't allow me to check-in online and simply gives me the message "Sorry, we can’t check you in for this flight. Please go to the airport check-in desk"
Tickets are still onsale in all classes. API is correct and passengers all hold UK passports heading back to the UK. Ticketed OK in MMB and check my trip.
Any ideas?
Tickets are still onsale in all classes. API is correct and passengers all hold UK passports heading back to the UK. Ticketed OK in MMB and check my trip.
Any ideas?
May 30, 2018, 12:55 am
#73
Moderator, Emirates
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Where My Heart Is
Programs: BAEC Silver, FB Platinum, KQ Asante Gold, Shebamiles Blue, Emirates Blue
Posts: 3,386
So I have a flight today from HKG to LHR. It's a one-way avios redemption in world traveller (so downgrade unlikely!). It won't allow me to check-in online and simply gives me the message "Sorry, we can’t check you in for this flight. Please go to the airport check-in desk"
Tickets are still onsale in all classes. API is correct and passengers all hold UK passports heading back to the UK. Ticketed OK in MMB and check my trip.
Any ideas?
Tickets are still onsale in all classes. API is correct and passengers all hold UK passports heading back to the UK. Ticketed OK in MMB and check my trip.
Any ideas?
S
Jun 2, 2018, 9:52 am
#74
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,599
Apologies, as I’m sure this has been covered already.
I’ve tried to check in for the refurn leg of a LHR-MAD-OPO-MAD-LHR. It’s on a 125 ticket but the two legs of the outbound are IB coded.
BA is sending to IB’s website, but I get an error during the process saying something about not being able to check me in due to the connecting flight.
should I be concerned?
I’ve tried to check in for the refurn leg of a LHR-MAD-OPO-MAD-LHR. It’s on a 125 ticket but the two legs of the outbound are IB coded.
BA is sending to IB’s website, but I get an error during the process saying something about not being able to check me in due to the connecting flight.
should I be concerned?
Jun 29, 2018, 11:34 am
#75
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Turku/Edinburgh
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Explorer/Flying Blue Petroleum Club
Posts: 149
Helsinki to Heathrow
I'm meant to be flying HEL > LHR tomorrow on the 17:10 BA0799.
I checked in online and changed my seat to 6C
I am a regular on the route with a booking each month for the foreseeable future.
when I'm clicking "Get My Boarding Pass" on the app I'm getting this message
sorry we are unable to verify your check in status, this means we won't be able to give you a mobile boarding pass
never had this before always been able to download to my mobile
I went back in to my booking to check seat status and every seat is showing as occupied
should I be worried???
it still shows I have seat 6C
I checked in online and changed my seat to 6C
I am a regular on the route with a booking each month for the foreseeable future.
when I'm clicking "Get My Boarding Pass" on the app I'm getting this message
sorry we are unable to verify your check in status, this means we won't be able to give you a mobile boarding pass
never had this before always been able to download to my mobile
I went back in to my booking to check seat status and every seat is showing as occupied
should I be worried???
it still shows I have seat 6C