k374

I am traveling LAX-ICN-SIN-BLR on J this week, my flight is at 4pm but I was planning on heading to the airport early and spending some time airside. However I am not sure if Singapore Airlines allows boarding passes to be printed during online checkin due to the document/visa check for International flights departing from the US. Can anyone clarify if this document check can be done in advance or at a kiosk in the airport or am I forced to wait for the counters to open? I don't have luggage to check.

24left

@k374
I don't live in the U.S. but fly in and out of there often on a few different airlines like BR, NH, LH for international flights and AC and AA for North American. I also never check a bag, have GE and am in J/C or F.

The counters for most if not all airlines in the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) only open 3 hours prior to departure. Partly because there are not enough counters and partly because international airlines pay for staff (some their own, rest are contract)

They always have to do the doc check. Sometimes, I can get an outbound mobile BP with some airlines and they doc check at the gate, Others will not allow a mobile BP at all. Some will allow a paper BP with similar. Some won't without doc check at OLCI.

I just flew SQ ex-SIN again and the app offers a feature when it can scan your passport. It also allows you to enter the passport details, which is what I used and mobile BP was offered and I added it. However, I think the success rate was due to the fact that my ticket itself (another airline, so codeshares o SQ), had my passport info already, which populated to all the airlines on the ticket. Check in for all were possible, mobile was not until doc check, paper BPs were possible in some cases.

Here's another FYI: The "bouncers" who stand at the bottom of the escalator to security in TBIT have tried to stop me in the past when I've had my printed BP because there was no gate number. Well, I reminded them that LAX is congested and at T-3 hours, some flights do not necessarily have a gate assigned.

So, if I am connecting at LAX, I do my best to enter at T6 or T4 (depending on who I arrive with) and then take the airside connector walkway to TBIT. If I'm on and originating flight from LAX, I do the same. Sometimes the TSA people at T4 or T6 look at the BP and make faces, but it's significantly better than the insane lines for security in TBIT.

YMMV.

k374

thanks for confirming, it looks like I will just have to spend a few hours before security and wait till the counters open. Since my final destination is India which requires a visa I doubt I will get my boarding pass through online check in.

24left

@k374
Oh don't don that. TBIT pre-security is like a bus terminal.
Here is what I do if I'm early or have time before a flight.

I walk from LAX down Sepulveda towards.....



But, as luck would have it as I look to the right ...and what a sight

(sorry for the quality but it's a screen shot from my video. It was epic. lol

OskiBear

It's been exactly one year since I flew out of TBIT on Singapore. I could be wrong, but I seem to recall they were set up on Pre-Check and I was able to check in and print out my boarding passes in advance. It's been a year, so my memory could be foggy.

TBIT also has kiosks so you may try to those to check in before the counters are actually open.

24left

Yes.

And I actually took these photos when I was departing LAX on one trip.

It's actually fascinating getting to the row when contract staff are doing the set-up for check-in. All these signs are kept in office/storage space behind the check-in counters.














And the kiosks if you want to print your own

SQ325

According to the SIA website in LAX it should be possible to enter airside with self printed boarding/mobile boarding passes.

k374

just an update, I finished check in and got a message that self printed boarding passes are not available for this itinerary, please proceed to the SIA counter for "document check". I guess it's because of the visa that has to be manually checked. I guess it's based on destination. At least counters open 3hrs 35mins in advance so that is positive.

DFW1003

Unfortunately we are all having the same issue, unable to generate a BP after completing online check in for our flight tomorrow from IAH to SIN.

We are arriving from DFW to IAH on a separate ticket. It's frustrating because we changed our DFW to IAH flight to an earlier flight as a precaution (storms are possible tomorrow in Houston) and we did not anticipate not having BPs. It appears we will now be unable to access the Polaris lounge without a BP, and the ticket counters don't open until a few hours after we arrive. ugh

Are there any possible solutions to getting a BP earlier?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

BThumme

Had this issue with JFK-FRA. Flew in much earlier in the day ORD-LGA but couldn't do anything, there is no kiosks for SQ at JFK (I think EWR doesn't have them as well). Heck, even now that I've been verified (I guess just double checking my passport?), I still couldn't get a mobile boarding pass. It's just an unfriendly experience all around.

exwannabe

Does TSA actually check the BP? At most airports it is just ID. I suspect that links to the reservation, not the BP.

If so, use ID to clear TSA then go to the gate or a lounge and print the pass there to avoid the scrum at airside checkin on international carriers.

I consider this nonsense about having to checkin airside one of the most annoying aspects of certain airports/airlines.

BThumme

Yeah, they checked here at JFK. But also at JFK, both flights are in the evening, so there's no place to even talk to someone at SQ until either 3 hours before (landslide) or Like 1.5 hours Airside.