On line check-in

Post by **mr lonely** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:10 am

What on earth is the point of online check in ?. All airlines seem to be pushing this so a month ago I tried it.
I still had to go to ticket desk
I still had to have passport checked, ticket issued at desk, luggage weighed and tagged etc.
Just could not see why the airlines should be making such a big thing of "Now you can check in on line"

Post by **splitlid** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:03 am

i think its more to do with getting the seat you want than anything to do with convenience when you arrive.

Post by **lomuamart** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:25 am

The last time I flew out of Heathrow (on Emirates, I think) my brother had tipped me off to check-in online.
I tried and failed due to my computer genius

. At the airport, I really wished I'd been successful. Check-in moved at a snail's pace and was chaotic. The counter that said "on-line check-in" looked easy. No queue that I noticed and those that went there were through quickly.
At least that's the way I saw it.
And they would have had more chance of getting the seats they wanted, as said.

Post by **mr lonely** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 12:13 pm

I agree that the on line check in queue was shorter but if everyone checks in online, the other queue will be shorter !
And you can book seats on line anyway
So still not convinced !

Post by **STEVE G** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 1:31 pm

It works if you're flying on some airlines around Europe and you have no baggage. You just print off your boarding pass and go straight to security.

Post by **lomuamart** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 2:24 pm

mr lonely wrote:I agree that the on line check in queue was shorter but if everyone checks in online, the other queue will be shorter !
And you can book seats on line anyway
So still not convinced !

True. I just queued up with the other computer illiterate people.
Could it have anything to do with advance security clearance?

Post by **Big Boy** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 2:38 pm

Last year travelling through Heathrow terminal 4, it saved me 2 hours compared to the previous year. Not much advantage at the Thai end though, apart from the prior knowledge we'd be sitting together.

Post by **taffinexile** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 3:32 pm

The real beauty of on line check in is you don't have to arrive at the airport so early. Mind that has it's draw back, once we got caught up in traffic and only caught the plane because of a flight delay. Overall though well worth doing if available.

Post by **Hilux** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:53 pm

Traveling inside europe (shengen) I can check in from my home computer before I go to the airport. When I get to the airport I can go directly to the transit area / gates (provided I only have handluggage). This is much easyer than before.

Traveling to Thailand (last time with lufthansa) it depends on the line at the "online check in luggage drop" whether or not it is an advantage - but at least it is an option if the "manual check-in" line is very long.

Hilux