What’s the point of online checkin...
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: LBA
Programs: BAEC Gold, PPL/IR
Posts: 438
What’s the point of online checkin...
...when the gate agents then pull you out of the queue to reprint “proper” boarding passes before they let you on?
Also the aggressively demanding any connecting BPs as well.
This was at HKG the other day.
Also the aggressively demanding any connecting BPs as well.
This was at HKG the other day.
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: Istanbul, Turkey
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I don't know why but for all Middle Eastern carriers the situation is the same. One of the main reasons that they still want paper boarding passes are that the ground staff count passengers by counting boarding passes ( the torn part ). Indeed their systems are eligible for mobile boarding passes and printed boarding passes via OLCI, however, they don't want to deal with them.
The situation is the same for most Indian and most East-Asian carriers.
The situation is the same for most Indian and most East-Asian carriers.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: LBA
Programs: BAEC Gold, PPL/IR
Posts: 438
I don't know why but for all Middle Eastern carriers the situation is the same. One of the main reasons that they still want paper boarding passes are that the ground staff count passengers by counting boarding passes ( the torn part ). Indeed their systems are eligible for mobile boarding passes and printed boarding passes via OLCI, however, they don't want to deal with them.
The situation is the same for most Indian and most East-Asian carriers.
The situation is the same for most Indian and most East-Asian carriers.
#4
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#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: LBA
Programs: BAEC Gold, PPL/IR
Posts: 438
We did have those but again, they had all the API data so should have been valid I would have thought. They were also doing it for anyone with an online BP, so not just those connecting (then again most people probably are).
#6
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 19
They almost always give us new BP's when arriving at the airport for international travel to the USA from Europe. Plus you'll still want to check in online even if they give you new BP's because otherwise your seat isn't somewhat guaranteed.
At least that's how it was at Delta. They had to re-book us on another flight once at the airport (after missing a connection due to delays) and they moved some other people off of their reserved seats so that we could sit together as a family, even breaking up a group that was sitting together. I asked how she could do this and she said it was because those people hadn't checked in yet.
At least that's how it was at Delta. They had to re-book us on another flight once at the airport (after missing a connection due to delays) and they moved some other people off of their reserved seats so that we could sit together as a family, even breaking up a group that was sitting together. I asked how she could do this and she said it was because those people hadn't checked in yet.
#7
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: U.K.
Programs: QR P; HH D; IHG SpAmb
Posts: 774
#8
OLCI saved me from being bumped off a full flight (twice!!)
The agent at the airport initially said I don’t have a seat and said I’ll be transferred into another flight. Should them my OLCI confirmation with the seats, they made a few calls, station manager came and apologised profusely that I was considered to be bumped off (really unnecessary apology really), and they magically printed out the BPs
The agent at the airport initially said I don’t have a seat and said I’ll be transferred into another flight. Should them my OLCI confirmation with the seats, they made a few calls, station manager came and apologised profusely that I was considered to be bumped off (really unnecessary apology really), and they magically printed out the BPs
#9
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
I don't know why but for all Middle Eastern carriers the situation is the same. One of the main reasons that they still want paper boarding passes are that the ground staff count passengers by counting boarding passes ( the torn part ). Indeed their systems are eligible for mobile boarding passes and printed boarding passes via OLCI, however, they don't want to deal with them.
The situation is the same for most Indian and most East-Asian carriers.
The situation is the same for most Indian and most East-Asian carriers.
#11
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,307
Emirates often don't even detach the detachable bit in DXB so it's not that for them.
#12
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#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
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#14
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That's not true. I often fly using a mobile BP on EK and don't need to reprint anything. However something to keep in mind is that with a mobile BP they must still do a document check and often your first interaction is at the gate. Some stations the lounge staff can't perform the doc check
If your battery dies, ask the gate agent to print you a physical boarding pass. This is the solution that I use when I use a mobile boarding pass.
#15
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MEL
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IMO, the idea of checking in some arbitrary time before the flight (24 / 30 / 48 hours) is sort of pointless. In the days of paper tickets, there were confirmations (which were abolished) and a check-in process. I don't understand why checking in persists.
If you are booked on a flight and selected a seat, you are assumed to be showing up. Checking in does confirm that you're taking that flight, but it's not until the check in closes that they know who isn't showing up, because any pax can still check in at the airport all the way to that point.
I've learned that nothing is ever guaranteed... seats get reassigned, flights change, people get bumped... it's all part of the game. Meh...
If you are booked on a flight and selected a seat, you are assumed to be showing up. Checking in does confirm that you're taking that flight, but it's not until the check in closes that they know who isn't showing up, because any pax can still check in at the airport all the way to that point.
I've learned that nothing is ever guaranteed... seats get reassigned, flights change, people get bumped... it's all part of the game. Meh...