Cannot check in online for tomorrow's (award) booking
Apr 9, 2019, 10:36 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: MAN/JNB
Programs: KL/BMI/BA
Posts: 410
Cannot check in online for tomorrow's (award) booking
Hi everyone.
We have an award booking for myself and my partner tomorrow MAD to MIA in business.
Partner can check in online but I cannot even though we are on the same booking. Message says documents need to be checked at airport (we both have EU Passport and valid esta.
Do I need to be worried that I am going to be downgraded? Flight shows sold out in business.
And if it is overbooked and they want to downgrade me can I insist they re-book us both onto BA via LHR which is showing availability for tomorrow?
Any advice or reassurance would be greatly appreciated.
We have an award booking for myself and my partner tomorrow MAD to MIA in business.
Partner can check in online but I cannot even though we are on the same booking. Message says documents need to be checked at airport (we both have EU Passport and valid esta.
Do I need to be worried that I am going to be downgraded? Flight shows sold out in business.
And if it is overbooked and they want to downgrade me can I insist they re-book us both onto BA via LHR which is showing availability for tomorrow?
Any advice or reassurance would be greatly appreciated.
Apr 9, 2019, 10:51 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 410
Hi everyone.
We have an award booking for myself and my partner tomorrow MAD to MIA in business.
Partner can check in online but I cannot even though we are on the same booking. Message says documents need to be checked at airport (we both have EU Passport and valid esta.
Do I need to be worried that I am going to be downgraded? Flight shows sold out in business.
And if it is overbooked and they want to downgrade me can I insist they re-book us both onto BA via LHR which is showing availability for tomorrow?
Any advice or reassurance would be greatly appreciated.
We have an award booking for myself and my partner tomorrow MAD to MIA in business.
Partner can check in online but I cannot even though we are on the same booking. Message says documents need to be checked at airport (we both have EU Passport and valid esta.
Do I need to be worried that I am going to be downgraded? Flight shows sold out in business.
And if it is overbooked and they want to downgrade me can I insist they re-book us both onto BA via LHR which is showing availability for tomorrow?
Any advice or reassurance would be greatly appreciated.
In case a downgrade happens, you can insist in being rerouted, but IB is not known for its customer service approach, so I would not expect a lot of help from them.
Apr 9, 2019, 10:58 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,041
It's more likely to be an ESTA check than a downgrade. It would be strange to downgrade one out of two (if booked together in a single PNR) and I haven't heard of too many over-booked J cabins with IB... Did you not pre-book your seats? That would be your first clue as to whether something unpleasant is likely to happen.
I believe that you would fall under "denied boarding" if there is no J seat available for you, in which case you would be entitled to re-routing. Make sure that you know what combination of BA flights would actually work and travel HBO. As well, be conscious that being beligerent with IB staff (especially in English) is a recipe for making them intransigent and unhelpful.
I believe that you would fall under "denied boarding" if there is no J seat available for you, in which case you would be entitled to re-routing. Make sure that you know what combination of BA flights would actually work and travel HBO. As well, be conscious that being beligerent with IB staff (especially in English) is a recipe for making them intransigent and unhelpful.
Apr 9, 2019, 9:56 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: MAN/JNB
Programs: KL/BMI/BA
Posts: 410
Thanks for the replies. I do feel a little better now after reading your comments . We did reserve our seats months ago so hopefully it is an additional security or esta check.
We also received an email from Iberia advising us to get to the airport 4 hours before departure time for flights to the US. Don't know if that is now normal but we will go early today.
We also received an email from Iberia advising us to get to the airport 4 hours before departure time for flights to the US. Don't know if that is now normal but we will go early today.
Apr 10, 2019, 12:02 am
#6
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 1,351
Four hours is an exaggeration, but it's probably a good idea to go early in case it is an ESTA issue. As others have said, it looks like an SSSS. That's not too bad in Madrid. Flights to the US are at the end of the terminal, after a second, dedicated passport check. If you do have SSSS, you will do the extra security check after this document check, in a small room next to the departure gate.
Apr 10, 2019, 12:27 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: MAN/JNB
Programs: KL/BMI/BA
Posts: 410
Panic over! We did get to the airport 4 hours before flight and even the check in agent was surprised we were so early.
Checked in without and issue and yes my BP shows SSSS.
Thanks for the advice.
Checked in without and issue and yes my BP shows SSSS.
Thanks for the advice.