What is the point of check-in?
 

Why do airlines require you to check in?

It can't be to see that you've arrived at the airport ... because you can do it online when you haven't left home.

It can't be to make sure you're really intending to fly ... because you can do it right at the gate at the last minute.

It can't be so that they know what seat you're in ... because they will allocate that anyway.

It can't be to confirm allocation for upgrades etc ... because they already know who is flying.

So what does "check-in" even mean these days?

It tells the airline that you are actually intending to fly as booked.

A lot of airlines maximise revenue by overbooking, and checking in helps them deal with potential no shows and/ or too many passengers showing up for a flight. With online check in, they can be pretty sure that you will show up so they can worry about getting everyone on board.

Common sense really - and there are a lot of folk who book a flight and simply don't show up for it for whatever reason

It's a good question and I'm not sure that CarolynUK's answer relates to all circumstances. Certainly, for legacy carriers which sell a good proportion of refundable tickets, check in does act as a quasi check on whether customers are intending to use them. But it's not a perfect check since you can still cancel after check in - and you can still be off-loaded if you don't turn up at the gate on time.

But, at the back of the plane, where most people have non-refundable tickets, a far greater proportion of people actually use the tickets.

I suspect the reality is that no one has taken the step of eliminating it yet. EZ has got close, permitting it up to 30 days prior to the flight. As I always book within that window, it has simply become another step within the booking process and I can see that it could easily be eliminated altogether.

I do like Qantas domestic, swipe the frequent flyer card at the pole in the airport and you're checked in. Especially handy with HLO.

Then swipe the card when boarding and it's all done.

For one, TSA isn't going to let you anywhere near the gate without a boarding pass (or gate pass in some airports). Not everyone can to online check-in.

Another, bags. Can't drag all your bags to the gate and check them in there.

Another, you make an assumption that the airline knows who is flying. Check all the threads about "overbooking". The reason that they overbook is that a percentage of passengers don't show up for their flights.

Another. Load and weight distribution. Particularly for small planes. If people don't show up for their flight then the airline can load more cargo.

"Check-in" is the legal definition which the airline industry -- and many governmental bodies -- give to the process of committing to the ticketed flight. Therefore, the purpose it serves, in the different ways airlines allow check in, is to set the standard for the legal duties and responsibilities to carry ticketed passengers (and checked baggage) on that flight.

There may be added steps airlines can require (i.e., presentment at the boarding gate by a specified time) in order to set a standard of eligibility for other benefits (i.e., denied boarding compensation).

You must be flying an airline that has some other process for issuing boarding passes. ;)

its so that they can control all the sheeple (they have all the power anyways)

Most of my flights are Qantas domestic. No boarding pass required - they scan your FF card at the gate, and all the info is in the card or on your phone. Australian airports do not require you to have a boarding pass to go through security.

I appreciate international flights, and US domestic, have different requirements.


The pole is handy because it sends you an SMS with the flight details and seat number, but you can skip that part and just swipe at the gate if you already know your flight details.

check in means that u will "consume" ur seat. if not, a chance passenger will take place.

So it seems there's no practical need for it, as the OP surmises. If the airline permits "unchecking in" which most do, then it simply deems a reservation to be a check in and automatically issues the necessary documentation - as it seems Aus airlines do and as EZ nearly does. Seems far more sensible.

The point of check-in is now different than it used to be, but it's very important. The new purpose is to make sure all of the non-frequent fliers aren't confused.

Think about it - there are occasional fliers out there that still don't know how to handle TSA. You've all seen them.. you know the people that aren't sure what to put in their quart-sized baggie or are unsure of whether to take off their shoes. If we eliminated check-in, these guys would have no idea of what to do! It would be chaos, so I say, let's keep it - it's easy for us anyhow and perhaps it helps a few people out there from getting too confused and somehow slowing down the security line more than they already do!

The check in is a legacy dating back to times when almost all tickets were unrestricted. An "are you coming or not" procedure was very necessary. Now that most tickets are non refundable and void if you don't cancel, the checkin process is just for distribution of boarding docs.

Do people really check in if they have no intention of flying?