NickP 1K

PMUA allowed you to check in and EITHER printed a "Doc Check" required on BP or checked you in but didn't issue BP's until you verified documents at airport - but for all intense purposes you were checked in (good if you were on the upgrade list, etc). NEVER understood why the new UA never brought this back up to step.

n2bspld

You can still changes seats as a silver, at T-24 without checking in, free of charge.

I've also enjoyed the app check-in, even for international travel it's worked for me.

takeahike66

It was a pleasant surprise to see how the United Appl directed me to scan our passports to do a OLCI via smartphone. Just did this for the whole family on our trip to Taipai this week. Didn't need to have the original passports, but a copy I keep for backup. Use the appl scanner to lock in on the image of the copy and the scanner picked up all the information, ask for verification of data, and submitted to somewhere for validation. Within minutes, the reply came back that the information was valid, and check in was complete.

Lesson learned: Use the mobile apopl to check in for international travel. I normally always check in online, but for some reason, use the mobile appl and was pleasantly surprised with the passport scan feature.

channa

I'm glad you got it working, but it would be more of a pleasant surprise if UA dropped this excessive passport verification, though.

starflyergold

Ah yes, the great "document verification" nonsense with United. Every single time I fly to Europe this pops up and blocks OLCI. To make matters worse recently at IAD the less than helpful "Priority Access" agent insisted I needed a visa to travel to Ireland on an EU passport . And this one was staffing an international counter! This actually went on for over 15 minutes, supervisor wasn't much brighter.

Xyzzy

If only. My SO has all of her info in her profile and UA always asks her for it again before allowing her to check in for Intl. flights. It even got to the point that she was asked for info by UA at a connecting point (on return to the US) before being allowed t board.

kirkwoodj

Bizarre! Seems that some folks above might have issues due to non-US passports, but as mentioned above, a complete non-issue for me, with essentially monthly TATL or TPAC flights.

starflyergold

Well no matter how many safety videos Jeff is commissioning about UA being global they can't/won't handle non-US passports easily.

FLYMSY

I have a U.S. Passport and I haven't been able to OLCI via computer or App in more than a year. Mostly travel TATL several times/yr including 10 days ago. Checking in via the App used to work like a charm, now, ZIP! Get the same message about documents needing to be verified. And, yes, ALL of the relevant info, including GE, has been in my profile for years.

mgcsinc

Have you used the new version of the app that permits passport scanning?

Loren Pechtel

I can't compare them with others but on our latest flight they had to verify our visas twice--once at check-in for the domestic segment, once at the gate prior to boarding the international segment.

weero

While I agree with you 100%, you are nowhere near harsh enough with UA's IT effort.

OLCI is 1000% worthless if you are a foreigner. Even the ESTA and residency information you enter is not forwarded to the agent in flesh with whom you have to check in in person later.
Every time they ask me this and my question "can't you look that <expletive> crap up in your <expletive> system?" is not appreciated.

Now it would not be all bad - I just don't do OLCI with any carrier that can't handle it ... but UA bases their upgrade priority somewhat on the order of checking in. And hence you get the double short end of the stick with them as an alien.

Be it idiocy, xenophobia, or racism, I leave the diagnosis to those qualified but it is one of the strongest reasons not to fly them anymore.

cfischer

After they saw my passport and green card about 10 times this year finally someone had mercy and my past 2 flights worked w/ OLCI ... maybe there is hope for the OP

emcampbe

PR card holders used to be a problem for inbound US flights. While an agent once told me the ability to not get a BP for those on a PR card was random, it most certainly was not for my wife, who got the "this is not a BP" consistently for a year or so (but was able to check in online for flights to other destinations - Canada, Mexico, etc.). One day that all changed, and OLCI inbound to the US has not been a problem since (fingers crossed). I'm 99.9999% sure that's not random, and something changed at some point to allow PR card holders to check in inbound to the US.

FLYMSY

Yes.