Online check-in & documentation verification?
 

Hello fellow FTers, I'm flying EK for the first time soon and I'm curious how online check-in works if the destination requires a visa. In this case does online check-in still work? If so, at what stage is the visa inspected? TIA!

In my experience, on line check in will still work, but you will not able to get a boarding pass. So you will still need to go to the check in desk where they will look at your documentation. Does not make a lot of difference if - through class of travel or status - you can choose your seats when booking, but otherwise (mainly Y for non-status passengers), you can choose your seat at OLCI at T-48 and then get your BP at the desk.

I understand, thank you. I was hoping to avoid the check-in desks both to save time (at TLV it is very busy) and because my hand baggage will likely be overweight. Hopefully they will not weigh it, as I'm traveling in business.

I've had it checked in the outstation lounge once. When they scanned my home printed boarding pass it flagged up I hadn't passed their documentation check so she checked it there. If I hadn't gone to the lounge they would have tannoyed for me at the gate.

In my case whenever I need documents checked (admittedly mostly Covid related in the past), I would not be given an on line BP. It would just give me a message that it was not available and that I had to go to a check in desk to receive it.. I seldom need a visa with my passport and travelling to the counties I do.

Mine was prior to covid so the different requirements may well have changed, but may well change back too if they haven't already.

In my experience (This case for Jakarta - Dubai - Zürich route), when I checked in online, the status is you already checked in but only Dubai - Zürich sector you already get a boarding pass online.

Because the staff needs to verify either your visa or residence permit (Or university LoA + long term visa in case for the freshman students). After the staff check all your documents you can get your boarding pass. In Jakarta (also Zürich), they had special line for online check in customers

I was on TLV-DXB last week. I couldn't issue the boarding pass online but when I arrived at the airport, I could do it on one of the kiosks and bypass the queue for check-in. However, when I boarded it beeped and they had to issue a new BP for me at the gate. My seat was intact.

Shuly