help for a curbside check in newbie!!

[grover]

Can someone here give me ALL the details on curbside check in!! We have never used it before (we always stand in line at the counter!) but may give it a go this time around! They don't even offer curbside check in where we live but we will be flying out of MSP this time so I hear that it is a option!
So here are the details!
We are flying MSP-Atlanta-MCO, same route on the way back. We leave early am on the way there and mid morning on the way back, will be two adults and one preteen. A shuttle will be dropping us off at the airport in MSP and on our return home we will have a rental car from either National or Dollar that we will need to drop off.

So can someone walk us thru the procedure start to finish. What do we need to have with us,where do we go,what do we say,what do we do ect.....

Thanks in advance!

Grover in Winnipeg

 

[Eeyore1954]

Grover, it's very simple. You should have your tickets and photo ID in hand. Spot a sky cap (catch their eye) and walk over. They will ask where you are headed and for your tickets. They will print baggage tags for your luggage and in many cases they can also issue boarding passes (but this seems to vary by airline and airport). If they can't issue boarding passes, you can still get through security and get them at the gate.

Be sure to tip them! I usually tip $2 - $3 per bag -- more if they are especially heavy.

I also ask to look at the baggage tags -- just to be certain that the final destination says MCO (Orlando). I don't want my luggage ending up in Seattle!!

After your bags are tagged, you have your boarding passes and you give you tip, you're ready to head for the gate!

 

[grover]

I should have added to my original post that we will have electronic tickets-does that make any difference in doing this? What papers I will have is what they emailed me after I booked the flights.

Grover in Winnipeg

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

A print-out of the e-mail will work as well. DW and I used curbside checkin leaving Richmond and returning from Orlando. We just presented the e-mail and our ID, tipped the skycap $5 for two bags, and got our boarding passes at the gate.

 

[MinnieGi]

We always do curbside and we feel it is so much easier, especially from the lines that we've seen lately. We had e-tickets the last time too and I just had a print out receipt from the airline's web site of flight numbers, times, and passengers. DH always tips very nicely and the whole process is done in a matter of minutes instead of 30 or more mintues in line.

Enjoy!

 

[mryder]

Does this still work if you have a rental car to drop off at MCO? I would rather check in the luggage curbside instead of having to transport it from the car garage. I know they don't like you to leave your car unattended. Could I pull up, unload the car, show the skycap my license, I take the car to return to rental agency, and let my wife get the boarding passes squared away?

 

[LucyStorm]

The way MCO is set up, it would be difficult to get back to rental car return to do that. It is not a very far walk at all from rental car return to curbside check in. I would just return the car, unload the luggage, and go to curbside. I have also seen skycaps at the rental car return with carts ready to help you unload.

Have a great trip!

 

[Gillian]

mryder -- We returned a rental to National at MCO last week. This is what I did -
pulled up, unloaded DH, DS, stroller & luggage. Did curbside check in with skycap who took away our bags (& a tip, of course). Sometimes you have to go get someone, but this guy came over to our car. DH & DS waited just inside the doors for me while I returned the car. This way we didn't have to worry about who had the e-tickets & ids, and there were 2 of us to get the stroller & toddler through security.

We flew USAir & had to get boarding passes at the gate.

There were no skycaps or carts near the National return area, so I'm glad we did this. There was no way for the 2 of us to manage 4 (small) suitcases, a carseat, a stroller & a 2 year old!

Returning the rental car was painless & we were back together within 10 minutes.

 

[grover]

Does the skycap issue boarding passes for Delta in both MSP and MCO?

Being from Winnipeg,MB I find it weird that sometimes you get your boarding pass right at the gate,here you have to have it before going thru security-if you don't have one you can't go thru!

Okay one more question how do I know who the Skycap is? Is there a sign? Does each airline have it's own-like would I need to find the Delta Skycap?

Grover in Winnipeg