There may be discussion on this already, but I didn't find it after some searching, so I'll start my own thread.

I'm starting to wonder whether there is really any point to the process we call "checking in" these days. In the old days, it seemed to me this was the point at which I presented one piece of paper (called a "ticket", with "flight coupons") and received another piece of paper (called a "boarding pass"), and simultaneously gave the airline some indication that I was actually in the airport, and with high probability would actually get on the plane.

Now we have on-line check-in, which I can do from anywhere; so just because I am "checked in", the airline should not have too much confidence that I'm actually in the airport, rather than asleep, in a pub, changing a tyre on the expressway, etc. Since the advent of on-line check-in, have the airlines experienced significantly more people who are "checked in" but who do not board the flight?

And now, when I checked in for my flight at LHR at a kiosk, I received some message that I would automatically be checked in for my return flight, and the boarding pass mailed to me.

So if I understand this correctly, I can receive my boarding pass by email, print it out, check no baggage, get through security, and the first time the airline will have any indication at all that I'm actually at the airport and planning to be on the flight will be at boarding. Before that time, they wouldn't know if I changed my plans, accidentally went to the wrong airport, got a flat tyre, or died two weeks before.

If that's the case, I'm starting to wonder why we "check in" at all. Why not just have everyone automatically checked in for all flights? Legal reasons? Operational reasons? Some other reasons? Boarding passes can be sent by email and printed out, and checking in no longer indicates physical presence at the airport and readiness to begin the trip, so is there really any point to it at all?

Just wondering ...

Checking passenger regarding valid visa for required passport? What happens when the passenger doesn't have a valid visa and (s)he is sent back? I'm pretty sure neither the passenger nor the (refusing) arrival country will pay his/her way back.

Agreed entirely, and doubly so in the era where non-refundable tickets are predominant. As I understand it, refundable tickets used to become non-refundable on check in, so that was a purpose- to close in on the final tally. But I can't see any other real purpose, than seat allocation.

Conversely, I nearly always travel internationally and with checked bags. Upgrades don't happen. So I've never seen the point of OLCI when, at the airport I have to wait in the same line and spend the same amount of time with the same agent. So I don't bother.

So then under this automatic check-in for the return that I seem to have gotten here, would they be checking for visa validity in both directions on the outbound?

I wasn't paying enough attention - I think I just entered passport information into the kiosk on the outbound, without anyone actually checking it. But maybe they did check.

Not quite on topic, but I found this rather funny - I have two passports, and and flew from the US to China on UA a while back. I gave one passport to the check-in agent (because it was my authority to be in the US), but the Chinese visa was in the other passport. I was fully expecting to be asked where my Chinese visa was, but the presence of a years-old used and expired Chinese visa in the passport I gave seemed to be good enough

That sort of task seems to be beyond the capabilities of OLCI so it's done at the check in counter (at least IME with UA, AC, LX, BA, VS and all the other airlines I've flown in the last ten years.

The return on my trip is US to UK, and they are claiming I will be check-in automatically. Maybe my automatic check in will "bounce".

First of all, you cannot check in online to an international destination (at the beginning of a trip). When you try to do this, you will not get a BP. Instead, you will get this rather useless document:

"THIS IS NOT A BOARDING PASS. You will need to complete your check-in at an airport kiosk."

At the airport, you have to scan your passport at a kiosk to get a BP. If a visa is required, you will need to go to the check-in counter to see a live person OR your documentation will be checked at the gate before you board.

The reason you can be checked in automatically on your return flight is because your documentation has already been checked. And you probably need to return to your own country!

For domestic flights, you can check in online. That at least gives the airline some comfort that you have indicated within 24 hours of your flight that you intend to board that flight. Of course, there are always some passengers who don't make the flight, but the airline knows it's a very small number that check in and don't board. So the procedure works and it limits the lines at the check-in counter, saving the airline money. Does that make sense?

Check-in serves a multitude of purposes:

1. With OLCI there is generally a cutoff a # of hours prior to departure. Those who don't OLCI by the cutoff and then miss the counter deadline, mean there's a free seat the carrier can sell or use to reduce overbooking.

2. Doc. check on intl. flights. The earlier problems are caught the better for both the carrier and the pax. Remember, if a carrier flies a pax to another country and the pax is denied entry, the carrier gets fined and is responsible for all costs associated with returning the pax to origin point.

3. Bag check, even if it's a nominally separate physical location from people who simply need a BP.

4. Problem children. There are all kinds of pax who have screwed up situations. Whether those are the carrier's fault or the pax, they need to get unscrewed up.

That said, there is certainly a lesser need for check-in and that's why there are far fewer physical counters and employees than in the old days when issuing a BP meant handwriting a card and affixing a seat assignment sticker.

On the negative side, because carriers no longer know who is actually at the gate, they are tougher on deadlines.

The airline has to pay to transport the person back. In theory, this should NEVER happen unless the passenger has a forged passport or visa, because the airline isn't going to let you get on the flight without checking your documents. Also, the passenger more than likely has a R/T ticket so he has already "paid" his way back.

I also don�t OLCI for intercontinental flights when I have to check bags and I can use priority check-in. There�s no point.

On the contrary, since I scanned my passport for my first post 3/3 international trip I can and have printed out boarding passes for subsequent international trips and, with no checked bags, been able to proceed directly to the boarding line at the gate for travel to countries without a visa requirement, e.g. EU, Hong Kong. Passport and boarding pass checked at boarding.

per the contract of carriage

Subject to applicable laws and regulations, the Passenger must pay the applicable fare whenever UA, on government order, is required to return a Passenger to his/her point of origin or elsewhere due to the Passenger�s inadmissibility into/or deportation from a country. The fare will be the applicable fare in effect at the time of the original Ticket�s issuance. Any difference between the applicable fare and the fare paid will be collected from or refunded to the Passenger, as the case may be. UA will apply to the payment of such fares any funds paid by the Passenger for unused carriage or any funds of the Passenger in possession of UA. The fare collected for carriage to the point of refusal of entry or deportation will not be refunded by UA unless the law of such country requires that the fare be refunded.

As to the purpose of checkin, it really doesn't do much, and it didn't do much before. Until you board the plane, you could always leave, and they would not know. Even if you were in the days of paper tickets and handing them over at the counter.

It gets you on lists, and shows your intent to fly. If you don't check in they will at some point believe you are not flying, but if you do they will think you are still flying. You can for example checkin now for a flight tomorrow and show up at the gate sixteen minutes before the flight and expect to still get on. If you don't check in and just show up a half hour before the flight at the airport, they may have given up your seat because you missed the 45 minute cut off.

It also can significantly cut down the time you spend in line at the airport if there's a huge line to check in.

Since this is not specifically about United, please follow it in TravelBuzz!

l'etoile
UA moderator

As part of a carrier obtaining landing rights in a foreign country, it must agree to repatriate any pax who is denied entry into that country. The carrier is also responsible for substantial fines as well as reimbursement for security costs for the pax. Some countries have been known to physically hold the aircraft until the pax is back onboard.

According to the COC of every carrier I've seen, all of these costs are then subject to recoupement from the pax. Cost of fine, security and one-way full Y fare can be enormous. Needless to say, if the pax has a CC with sufficient credit limit, the carrier will see its money, otherwise it's expensive and like trying to get blood from a stone.

I completely agree with the OP. Especially with auto-check in nonsense for the return flight. If I'm not in and out the same day, who can know what will happen before the return flight. And now that there is no option on the website to cancel check in, it becomes a pain - a couple of weeks ago, it took 3 calls to web support and an hour and a half of my time to cancel my check in for a flight I couldn't take. With PMUA, you could do this easily online. If you need to ake changes, etc. on the phone, I have always been under the impression you can't be checked in.

Saying this should "never" happen is an overstatement - a valid passport and visa does not guarantee entry to a country. For example, some countries will deny entry with a valid passport if it is not valid beyond X (typically 6) months (though I suppose UA should know this beforehand). Most countries that I have seen stipulate that a valid visa does not guarantee entry to a country. A passenger can have the wrong type of visa, be carrying equipment that the arrival country won't allow in, etc.