Have you ever wondered why it takes so much typing to check-in for a flight? Anybody know?

It would seem to me that the airlines could significantly improve their efficiency by making check-in quicker for the ticket/gate agents.

Just type a few letters of my last name and my flight number. That should give a list of people no more that one screen. Number down the side of the list. The agent types 1<enter> or 2<enter> or whatever. The computer then moves me from the reserved list to the "at the airport"/print boarding pass now list.

Anybody have a clue what else the agents are typing as they "write a book" about me?


PS -- Ok, guess they would need one more option after that -- "Sir, would you like an upgrade today?" <smile>

[This message has been edited by FCfree (edited 06-10-2001).]

I always wonder about this too. It seems like the United agents have to spend at least 15 minutes to do the simplest things. I often wonder if the computer system is set up in a convoluted way to make it harder for the employees to bend any rules.

This has never made sense to me. It happens regardless of which airline I am flying.

It is because the software platforms that they are all running on are ancient, archaic and very vague. They always seem to get frustrated, and if you actually look at what they are doing, it amazes me that they are able to do everything they do.

This is a problem since it will take years, as well as millions of dollars to implement a cleaner, quicker system. Of course the airlines are unwilling to do this.

I have wondered about that also. Too keep from getting more frustrated then the agent, I tend to chatter about something interesting. Especially, when they have to REENTER the information several times.

I've always wanted to peek at the screen. You know how the counter and the screen are positioned so that you really don't know what they are looking at or typing in.

I've noticed that E-ticket has made it much faster. But it could also be that the agent forgot to ask about whether I've had my luggage safe with me the whole time prior to travel.

ua converted to pars in 1970 or so. there have been some improvements i suspect but they are still plodding. aa uses the same system. pars [programmed airline reservation system] was developed for high cost hardware & consideration was given to thruput and memory usage accordingly rather than users.

[This message has been edited by clacko (edited 06-11-2001).]

AS has obviously found a way around this with their check-in kiosks. You answer a few questions on the screen and out comes your boarding pass. I don't know why they can't use similar technology when humans check you in. Love those kiosks!

(edited for lousy typing)

[This message has been edited by Westcoaster (edited 06-11-2001).]

It works with LH, if you have a machine readable ticket and preassigned seats.

International flights require more information to be put into the record (if this information was not put in at the time the reservation was made).

Clacko wrote:
Clacko - my recollection was that PARS is actually the name given to the system used by TW and NW (now owned by spun-off Worldspan); UA uses Apollo (owned by Galileo); and AA uses Sabre (owned by, uh. . .Sabre).

The Apollo system that is used by UA check-in agents (I think it's called Focalpoint, like the system used by travel agents) has at least a couple of different systems that can be used by agents, one is a form-driven system that has a less punitive learning curve and requires fewer key strokes, and one is a command line system that is much more flexible, but requires many more key strokes.

Greg

its possible that ua converted off pars in the last 30 years. don't really know. i believe that sabre evolved from & is originalybased on pars. however, my point was that the systems started w/lots of keystrokes & still have them. i haven't been close to airline computer systems since the early 70's & don't know what changes have been made. thanks for the info.

[This message has been edited by clacko (edited 06-11-2001).]

In most of UA or DL CTOs or Check-in counters I know, what they're typing on are simply 'dumb terminals', which are attached to the company mainframe. The mainframe's so old that it does not provide a clean/user-friendly graphical user interface like Windows, Macs or anything, hence requires commands to be inputted via typing, almost as archaic as programming language. (remember, the mainframe was created way way abck when a mouse is still a rodent.) For those who are old enough to remember DOS or UNIX, you can relate.

But then I know DL has converted most of their SLC's gates to Windows interface, point n' click. All they have to do is type in your last name and maybe a few hotkeys to get the boarding pass to print. If you still find them typing a lot on this interface, it's to document customer requests, customer complaints, or notes to future agents. Or if they have to rebook you on another flight, which as I understand it, is a tedious process.

Thx
Jamester

[This message has been edited by Jamester (edited 06-11-2001).]

Previous discussion here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum94/HTML/002747.html

(OMNI)

Was I the only one who found the subtle joke about this topic hilarious in the movie "Meet the Parents"?