I don't really understand online checkin either. The whole purpose of "checking in" is to let the airline know you are at the airport and available to take your flight. Checking in from home serves little purpose, as people leave their documents at home, and still have to deal with traffic and other unforseen events while going to the airport the next day. Unless you are at an airport where no easy checkin machines are available, then I can't see how the airline would benefit. Other than that it's next to useless for me.

Last time I tried to use Easy Check-In, it only found half of my itinerary. That is, it offered to print my first boarding pass, but not my onward connection. I had to call an agent for help, who had to print the second boarding pass at her desk.

Ed

Online check-in can be useful if you are arriving at the airport late. I've especially had good use of online check-in when departing from DCA. The check-in counters and machines are all on the upper level, yet the Metro train drops you off on the lower level near security. It allows me to avoid traversing upstairs and hunting down a kiosk and then proceed right to the gate from the train. ^ In other airports, like SFO, there are so many convenient EZ-Check-in machines available that it is not worth my hassle to print a BP ahead of time.

Thanks, that's the info I was looking for. As to your 2nd part, the answer is yes. If you check in at the airport, the machine will allow you to list yourself for a standby. I have done it, but I did not know if checking in on-line negated this. It appears that it does.