Priority check-in?
 

Welcome to FT and the EK Forum!

At just about every airport Emirates operate from, there are dedicated check-in counters for Business and First Class (as well as Gold Skywards members). The reason to always use these counters is to avoid the long economy non-status queue.

They should be clearly marked with an entry banner or sign above the counter.

As far as I'm concerned, one of the biggest benefits of status with any airline is to be able to use a dedicated check in area as I hate queues.

As gold you can use the business class check-in counter at any airport when travelling Emirates, for Silver's you get the Silver check-in counter at Dubai only, but if your travelling together you can both use the business check-in counter since one of you is Gold.

Small correction here. Both Golds and Silvers are, according to the published benefits, allowed to use the Business Class check in counters. However:

1. At most airports EK have a separate queue for Business and a separate queue for Gold/ Silver. You are then expected to use only the Gold/ Silver queue, however would be called to the Business (or even First) queue if it is empty.

2. At DXB, there is a separate check in area for Skywards Silver in the main terminal area (as you enter, on the right). Gold members may use the Business class counters in the F/J check in area.

Note also that there is usually a separate queue for those who have done online check in to drop their bags.

I've found that at the airports I use most frequently (ACC and BOM), the Gold/Silver/OLCI line is combined, leading to horrendously long line-ups as the non-status OLCI users are lumped in with you. The line dragons make sure you can't use the Business Class line either if you are in Econ. Another useless benefit.

The big benefit of course is in Dubai though where Gold can use the Business Class area and Silver has its own dedicated area also. You cannot use the Silver area as a Gold though (which I found out to my detriment once) - you have to use either the Business Class area or the general lines.

I think they got it wrong, the benifits clearly says "At the rest of the Emirates destinations( including Terminal 1, Dubai), when flying Emirates, you can check in at the Business Class counter regardless of your class of travel. Simply present your Skywards Gold or Silver membership card at the counter."

Benefits can say what they want. In reality, they lump in OLCI and Elites together and keep Business and First counters for those pax. In Accra, 100-150 elites out of 200 pax is not uncommon, so its a common sense thing rather than intent to dilute benefits. Skywards also advertises dedicated Gold Desks and Guaranteed Seats for Gold Members, neither of which is really a benefit when you finish reading the fine print and try to actually use it.

Thanks...
 

For all your replies. What a fantastic forum. We have been travelling back and forth UK-Australia regularly for 4 years...should have looked this up before. Just one problem..our cards have gone to our home address in UK, and we are in Australia...will this cause a problem?
Thanks everybody.
:-:

No probs, they can check your status in their system, If you check-in online it will also state on the bording pass that you are Gold/Silver.

As Lovetotravel83 said - no problem. In addition there is a facility within the Skywards website to print out a copy of your current Skywards card once you have logged into the site. You use the "My Account" drop down menu and then select "Membership Card", when the page opens there is the option to print a copy of the front and back of your card therein.

Hi guys, I have a simular question, my girlfriend is Skywards silver but I am not (due to me flying out to aus last year on a different airline). Can we check in using the business class desks because she is a silver and we are on the same booking?

Is it also correct there is no guess lounge access for silvers at Dubai Airport. So I have to wait outside while she sips the champaign :).

Yes on both counts.

Thanks..thought so just wanted to check. I dont like the new points system, my girlfriend is silver mainly on the back of the trip to australia, in the next few months I am going UK to India, UK to Malaysia and UK to Australia (so i will finally get silver myself), you get the same number of points for all flights now, thats not fair, the flight to australia is much further/more expensive it should get more points, my girlfriend got a a lot more points for that same flight xmas 2009

A flight to Australia gets more points than one to Malaysia which gets more than one to India. You don't get the same points for a flight, but you might be booked on a Saver fare where you earn half the mileage thus making status very expensive.

Lets keep this discussion about Priority Check In (ie the OP) rather than spear off onto a tangent. Plenty of avenues to vent your spleen re Saver/Flex issues. In fact, I feel a mini-revolt coming...;)

Just got back from my trip, just wanted to agree with B747-437B. On a trip to Malaysia, both ways BHX and KL the silver skywards (my girlfriend) were put in with the online check in people in the lines. In both cases there were quite a few people in the lines already and no one in the business class line.

Even though I told them that as a Silver Member she was supposed to be able to check in in business class she was not allowed to. I wasnt happy as I had hoped to use this tactic to get to be first in the line to get extra leg room seats as I am very tall, so its a bit of a none existant benefit.

However it wasnt all bad as we were upgraded to Business Class for the Dubai BHX leg coming back so that made up for missing out on the exit row seats.

You mean to say there was no separate queue for Gold/ Silver? Only First/ Business/ Online check in/ Economy? Were you able to use the Business queue?

The queues at most airports nowadays (I've seen this in Mumbai, Accra and Guangzhou in the last few weeks) are First, Business, Silver/Gold/OLCI and Economy. Gold/Silver are no longer allowed to use the Business queue but are lumped with the OLCI folks.

The wording in the Skywards Gold benefits has also been changed now to a generic "Priority Check-In" from the old "Check in at the Business Class counter".

Actually it still says "check in at the Business Class counter".

http://www.skywards.com/standardpopu...ource=Standard

Well, I am not sure how accurate the Skywards page is.

http://www.skywards.com/Member_Benefits.aspx?SkinID=2

The benefits of Skywards Gold
Access to all Emirates and affiliated Business Class lounges across the Emirates network.
Skywards Gold members can take a guest into the lounge when flying Emirates in Business or First Class.

Thought guesting someone is not available at all anymore as Gold. :)

Perhaps they reinstated the benefits above when they lifted the fuel surcharges and forgot to let anyone know? Haha.