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-   British Airways | Executive Club (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club-446/)
-   -   Dreaded “we can’t check you in online” (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1973084-dreaded-we-can-t-check-you-online.html)

thejohn Jun 8, 2019 6:47 am
I had exactly the same on Thursday in F (well 2 travellers) I got the SSSS my daughter who hasn’t been to the US for a year didn’t, and I was only in the US early May and in Jan I nearly always get a Document check for both Long & Short haul this year 5 out of 6 trips. Do you think BA don’t want me to holiday so much although it’s not really a bother at all.
John

g289t Jun 8, 2019 6:53 am
Originally Posted by South London Bon Viveur (Post 31182146)
For those that have experienced it, is it just additional bag checking before boarding, or do you also feel the effects upon arrival in the US?
There is no security check when arriving in the US, so SSSS makes no difference upon arrival in the US.

DreamTrip Jun 8, 2019 7:08 am
This is normal, I get this all the time flying from US to Europe when ending trip In Europe. They want to make sure your are not overstaying your EU visit. When I show my US passport check-in agent request proof that I am eligible to stay in EU an extended time....Now I just provide my Swedish passport on the way back and all is fine.

blitzen Jun 8, 2019 7:51 am
Originally Posted by DreamTrip (Post 31182489)
This is normal, I get this all the time flying from US to Europe when ending trip In Europe. They want to make sure your are not overstaying your EU visit. When I show my US passport check-in agent request proof that I am eligible to stay in EU an extended time....Now I just provide my Swedish passport on the way back and all is fine.
Mine is a round trip US-Germany and Sweden-US ... oh well nothing I can do about it anyway.

blitzen Jun 8, 2019 7:55 am
Originally Posted by PETER01 (Post 31181472)
@blitzen

See this thread for potential reasons why you can't check in online as yet.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...ficulties.html
Maybe the below was yesterday's hick-up (which would still exist today, but I know I checked in two flights on different days before)

12) Is your second flight on the next calendar day?
There is a well known bug where if your connecting flight is on a different calendar day to the the first flight you may need to check in for the first flight only to begin with, by deselecting the second flight from the options, get the boarding pass and then check again for the second flight. If you try to do both flights together it will fall over.

PETER01 Jun 8, 2019 9:13 am
Originally Posted by blitzen (Post 31182568)
Maybe the below was yesterday's hick-up (which would still exist today, but I know I checked in two flights on different days before)

12) Is your second flight on the next calendar day?
There is a well known bug where if your connecting flight is on a different calendar day to the the first flight you may need to check in for the first flight only to begin with, by deselecting the second flight from the options, get the boarding pass and then check again for the second flight. If you try to do both flights together it will fall over.
I've had that before re different days, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

Glad it all worked out in the end though and you have managed to OLCI etc.

Thanks for posting back, always nice to hear a conclusion ^

BA6501 Jun 8, 2019 9:33 am
Originally Posted by blitzen (Post 31182352)
No worries was just surprised by 3 out of 3

This morning I could check us in, but the BP had a big red remark on itYour passport and/or visa(s) must be checked at the airport

We are required by certain countries to check your travel documents before you fly. Please see a British Airways representative at the airport.

Passport and visa information

So the problem is the Passport .... hmmm weird. Oh well no line at first check in at JFK I hope.

And somehow my Boarding Pass in the App looks normal without any "we have to check" remarks on it.
Ah - that's a standard message and nothing to be worried about. It will be cleared down at the airport in just a few seconds.

corporate-wage-slave Jun 8, 2019 9:52 am
Originally Posted by BA6501 (Post 31182764)
Ah - that's a standard message and nothing to be worried about. It will be cleared down at the airport in just a few seconds.
Indeed it applies to a wide variety of places, such as Brits going to the USA or Canada, or Americans going to India. It just looks very prominent now, and has generated occasional threads here in the past, but it is indeed a standard message. Basically either Visa Check locations or API passport swipe locations. All USA bound traffic has to have that swipe.

blitzen Jun 8, 2019 11:06 am
Ok it is annoying (aka why did I enter all that info) but as it seems to be standard procedure nowadays there is nothing I can do to avoid it.

thanks for the feedback

corporate-wage-slave Jun 8, 2019 11:27 am
Originally Posted by blitzen (Post 31182978)
Ok it is annoying (aka why did I enter all that info) but as it seems to be standard procedure nowadays there is nothing I can do to avoid it.
There are two processes at play, so there is a reason you have to do it twice. The DHS does a polling scan of the API data and gives a green light to the airline to allow each passenger a landing in the USA, so this is based on the API data you entered in online. However what also needs to be established is that you have physically on you the exact passport that was used for the API, given people can have multiple nationalities / passports. If you forgot the passport used for the advance API when you turned up at the airport then the old API is removed, then you need to re-enter with API all over again with new information, then you wait for the next DHS scan, then you can fly.

blitzen Jun 8, 2019 11:46 am
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave (Post 31183027)
There are two processes at play, so there is a reason you have to do it twice. The DHS does a polling scan of the API data and gives a green light to the airline to allow each passenger a landing in the USA, so this is based on the API data you entered in online. However what also needs to be established is that you have physically on you the exact passport that was used for the API, given people can have multiple nationalities / passports. If you forgot the passport used for the advance API when you turned up at the airport then the old API is removed, then you need to re-enter with API all over again with new information, then you wait for the next DHS scan, then you can fly.
In my case it is flying out of the US, but I would assume the same rules apply

Mixbury Jun 8, 2019 11:57 am
Originally Posted by TheChangingMan (Post 31182295)
Additional check before boarding, first onto the aircraft and no problem using GE on arrival at JFK (or might have been ORD, can't remember and not relevant).

Nothing to worry about at all.
It is quite different in the US; it happens at TSA screening where they close a lane down while you are processed, and involves a lengthy explanation of what they are going to do, a very intimate pat-down, and removing and swabbing everything from your hand luggage.

I was flagged for a couple of months before applying for a Known Traveller ID, I'd recommend checking-in as much as you can to expedite the process if you get SSSS state-side.

EDIT: This was while having GE.

blitzen Jun 8, 2019 12:07 pm
Originally Posted by Mixbury (Post 31183098)
It is quite different in the US; it happens at TSA screening where they close a lane down while you are processed, and involves a lengthy explanation of what they are going to do, a very intimate pat-down, and removing and swabbing everything from your hand luggage.

I was flagged for a couple of months before applying for a Known Traveller ID, I'd recommend checking-in as much as you can to expedite the process if you get SSSS state-side.

EDIT: This was while having GE.
You are referring to SSSS? How can you have GE without Known Traveller ID?

When I was flagged with SSSS for Zurich - Newark last year it was a quick additional pad down, swabbing of the carry on an d an "interview" (where are you coming from/ what did you do? fo "Oh isn't that place right next to xyz" to test my knowledge of Germany etc.). Boarded the flight a little late but still 5-10 minuted before the doors closed.

Mixbury Jun 8, 2019 12:29 pm
Originally Posted by blitzen (Post 31183118)
How can you have GE without Known Traveller ID?
Apologies, I meant a Redress Control Number,

Originally Posted by blitzen (Post 31183118)
When I was flagged with SSSS for Zurich - Newark last year it was a quick additional pad down, swabbing of the carry on an d an "interview" (where are you coming from/ what did you do? fo "Oh isn't that place right next to xyz" to test my knowledge of Germany etc.). Boarded the flight a little late but still 5-10 minuted before the doors closed.
My post referred to receiving SSSS for a US originating flight, either domestic or international, and therefore the experience at US airports. It was quite touching at small airports, where presumably because they don't often encounter it, they had to dig out the manual, treated me with considerable suspicion, and exhibited a certain disappointment in eventually having to let me through. I was grilled extensively about a smoke hood in my carry on at Juneau airport (it felt dangerously facetious replying "A smoke hood" when asked what was a vacuum sealed packet with the words "Smoke Hood" in large type).

A more detailed description of the process at onemileatatime.

enzian Jun 8, 2019 12:49 pm
We have flown BA to Europe in Club World 9 times in the last 10 years. Our most recent flight (May 17) was the first time I was unable to check-in online. I asked about this problem here and was referred to the main "why can't I check in online" discussion. Reading through, I found one scenario that applied: I had amended our tickets after the original booking, and possibly there was something amiss with the new ticket. I was advised to call BA so I did. The very helpful agen assured me that everything was in order with our tickets, but made the comment that it appeared to him that no one could check in online, "for security reasons". When we got to the airport we learned the flight was oversold and perhaps that was the reason. They were offering $800 to change to the next day, and maybe that was easier to manage with people who had not checked in. We will never know. . .

It was also suggested that it could be because my husband was seated in the exit row seat on the upper deck (63J). That has never been questioned before, but this was our first flight since he turned 75. So maybe that was it. But our flight home there was no issue with online check-in, with the same seat. so again, no answer to the question of why.

But I will say the experience (not being able to check in online) made me very glad I had paid to book our seats in advance.


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