HELP! United won't let me check-in online

[jmkrat]

First, I will never fly this airline again. I am leaving tomorrow ( I hope), and I just went to check my family in for our flight. They will let my DH check in, but not my two kids and myself. So, I called ( this has never happened before). I can't understand what I am being told, first the guy says it is because I changed my reservation, then he said it is just a random thing. All I have to do is bring the credit card that I booked it with to the United check in counter. I no longer have that credit card, does this mean we can't fly. I have the same Disney visa, just a different number. We have been on the phone for hours and can not get any help. He said to bring my statement, I booked this last March. I did find the statement, but what if I wouldn't have called? I am so frustrated right now and feeling helpless. I just want to go to Florida. Instead of packing, I am looking through old paper work and on the phone. My DH is now on the phone, I was getting a little upset. Now I am afraid there will be an extra security check in my future.
Has this happened to anyone? What do I do? Thanks, I am going to try to go pack.

 

[DebbieB]

I haven't flown United but with other airlines you have the option of checking in with your confirmation # or frequent flyer # instead of the credit card. You will be able to straighten this all out at the counter when you arrive, it will be fine.

 

[snowbunny]

Just because you can't check in online does not mean there is some big problem with your ticket. Just get to the airport a little early and check in at the counter. Which is what everyone did before the internet made it possible to check in online.

 

[jmkrat]

I haven't flown United but with other airlines you have the option of checking in with your confirmation # or frequent flyer # instead of the credit card. You will be able to straighten this all out at the counter when you arrive, it will be fine.

They said they need the credit card I booked with, because I changed my tickets. He said it was to prevent fraud ( except their letting my DH through). I am trying to find and old statement and the old credit card. We were trying to ask if I really needed that credit card or I could use any credit card. We didn't get an answer, so the hunt is on for the old statement.

 

[DebbieB]

You may want to check online:

http://www.chase.com/PFSCreditCardHome.html

I just checked my account and there are copies of statements back to 2003!

 

[safetymom]

I have never had to show the credit card I booked with. Most times it is on the corporate credit card which I don't have. I agree with the others. Just get to the airport a little earlier and it will be fine.

 

[bab31]

Is it because they cant find your reservation ? Do you have your confirmation number?

I agree - be sure to be early at check in- this is too bad as you are suppose to be enjoying your trip- traveling is part of the vacation!

 

[bavaria]

if you changed your ticket, there may be a change fee due. I fly United almost weekly and when change fees are due can't check in.

Lufthansa does the same with close in changes - they collect at the airport and won't check me in until I show proof from the ticket counter. That has happened to me all around the world.

Just get there early, go to a check in machine, and if you can't check in use the telephone to call someone or wait for agent assistance.

I really don't understand why you wouldn't fly with United again - many travellers every day cannot check in online. I can't check in online for about 70% of my flights.

 

[jmkrat]

if you changed your ticket, there may be a change fee due. I fly United almost weekly and when change fees are due can't check in.

Lufthansa does the same with close in changes - they collect at the airport and won't check me in until I show proof from the ticket counter. That has happened to me all around the world.

Just get there early, go to a check in machine, and if you can't check in use the telephone to call someone or wait for agent assistance.

I really don't understand why you wouldn't fly with United again - many travellers every day cannot check in online. I can't check in online for about 70% of my flights.

I was pretty upset when I first wrote. It is not because I can not check in online. I still don't know why I can't. I already paid the change fee. What I was really upset with was the customer service. I couldn't get a straight answer, and they were insisting that I need my original card that I booked with. It has since expired and I no longer have that card. Then they told me to bring in my statements with the transactions on them. It did take me awhile, but I found them. If they just said bring any credit card I would have been ok with that. It took 3 hours to get an answer, my DH finally got on the phone. They cited security reasons, random computer picking, and that they were concerned about fraud and I should be glad they are looking out for credit card fraud. That would be nice, but I first purchased my tickets in Feb. and made the changes in April. I am glad I called, I wouldn't have known to bring statements if I didn't. The kicker is that I received an e-mail from them to encourage me to use online check-in . On the bright side, I don't have to tip for curb-side check in so I will be saving some money. I am off to the airport now.

 

[jmkrat]

You may want to check online:

http://www.chase.com/PFSCreditCardHome.html

I just checked my account and there are copies of statements back to 2003!

Thanks, I found my statements. I did call Chase and they were going to fax me a copy if I couldn't find mine. I thought that was nice.

 

[jmkrat]

Is it because they cant find your reservation ? Do you have your confirmation number?

I agree - be sure to be early at check in- this is too bad as you are suppose to be enjoying your trip- traveling is part of the vacation!

I have an e-ticket, and am confirmed. I will ask at the airport why this is done and how to avoid it in the future if possible. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[n2mm]

THis can happen on any airline, not just United. If I stopped flying an airline because of stuff like this, I would have to drive now. My SIL is on the do not fly list and can never check in online no matter what airline. He filled out the paperwork on the TSA website to fix it and went to fly again and was still denied printing his boarding pass at home.

I fly United 12-14 times a year and find them acceptable. However, I agree about their phone line customer service. If you don't know the "tricks" you could get stuck in their phone tree forever. BTW, the trick is to say "AGENT" and an real person will pick up the phone and talk with you, however, the accent is usually so thick, it's hard to understand. I recently changed my January tickets and it went smoothly.

 

[bavaria]

I was pretty upset when I first wrote. It is not because I can not check in online. I still don't know why I can't. I already paid the change fee. What I was really upset with was the customer service. I couldn't get a straight answer, and they were insisting that I need my original card that I booked with. It has since expired and I no longer have that card. Then they told me to bring in my statements with the transactions on them. It did take me awhile, but I found them. If they just said bring any credit card I would have been ok with that. It took 3 hours to get an answer, my DH finally got on the phone. They cited security reasons, random computer picking, and that they were concerned about fraud and I should be glad they are looking out for credit card fraud. That would be nice, but I first purchased my tickets in Feb. and made the changes in April. I am glad I called, I wouldn't have known to bring statements if I didn't. The kicker is that I received an e-mail from them to encourage me to use online check-in . On the bright side, I don't have to tip for curb-side check in so I will be saving some money. I am off to the airport now.

I get the OLCI email every time, even for international flights which require check in at the airport. It is an automated system.

I realize that the OP won't be reading here anymore, but phone agents at any airline usually don't know why someone can't OLCI. If someone has been selected for extra screening, the agent won't see that. An agent may offer up various reasons. United DOES state that if changes are made the card used for the change must be presented at the airport.

I think that this is a case of someone who doesn't travel that often getting upset over something completely normal and not uncommon for travellers. It is a good reminder for infrequent travellers but definitely not something worth getting so upset over, and not worth leaving an airline over.

Things happen when one travels, but the way one handles it can make all the difference.

 

[bavaria]

From United.com

I received a message that I was not able to use EasyCheck-in Online. Why not?

EasyCheck-in Online can restrict check-in on certain itineraries for a variety of reasons. Some of the reasons include, but are not limited to: upgrades, travel with a lap child, service charge due, change of aircraft, security, e-ticket not matching an itinerary, travel originating outside the United States, or a special service request in the reservation.

If you are unable to use EasyCheck-in Online, we apologize for your dissatisfaction, and we advise you to use an EasyCheck-in Kiosk or see a United customer service representative when you arrive at the airport.

 

[snowbunny]

If you don't know the "tricks" you could get stuck in their phone tree forever. BTW, the trick is to say "AGENT" and an real person will pick up the phone and talk with you, however, the accent is usually so thick, it's hard to understand.

This happened to me Thursday, my DD13 was scheduled to fly to MDW on Southwest but with unforecasted 2-4 inches of snow suddenly materializing, I was afraid to drive the 95 miles each way to MHT.

Called United to try to get her on a much earlier direct flight out of our home airport, not much time - managed to get an agent finally, I could understand him fine but the phone connection to India was not good...it took a long time to get the ticket and also register her as an unaccompanied minor (her first time flying alone and she had been prepared to deal with MDW but not ORD).

One seat left on the CRJ900, first class, the whole thing cost me a fortune but we got her there. The United staff at PWM was great.

Once at ORD United personnel dropped the ball, the agent who took her off the plane handed her the paperwork, said "wait here" and went to lunch!!! The person meeting her had been erroneously denied a gate pass by a clueless agent at the ORD ticket counter, thank goodness for cell phones...I was pretty ticked at United for a hour but as a previous poster said, if I dropped every airline when someone screwed up my transportation options would be severely limited.

 

[abeyst]

Not being able to check in online is probably a TSA security thing. It happened to me leaving MCO in early December. The luggage check staff at the Beach Club said I must have gotten selected for "random" security screening at the airport. I was upset b/c I like to have all BPs and luggage checked before we get to the airport. It went smoothly and efficiently, though. We even got to 'jump' the security line for our special screening. I was all worried when the TSA guy says "Ohhh - you need to come with me." I thought for sure I was in trouble. We got straight to a metal detector with 4 TSA agents checking our stuff and got us right through. It was actually faster than waiting in the long security line for standard screening!

I wonder if you could just print boarding passes at the eticket kiosk at the airport. I could do that - even though I couldn't check in online.

Good luck!

 

[jmkrat]

I am now back from my trip and everything went fine. I had to go to an agent, they tried to tell me to run the credit card I used to purchase the tickets with through, I told them I did not have the credit card. I showed a credit card and license to an agent and got a boarding pass. The flight home was a nightmare, but that is a different story. I now know not to use a credit card that will expire before my trip to purchase tickets. Thanks to all who answered.

 

[uva185]

I am now back from my trip and everything went fine. I had to go to an agent, they tried to tell me to run the credit card I used to purchase the tickets with through, I told them I did not have the credit card. I showed a credit card and license to an agent and got a boarding pass. The flight home was a nightmare, but that is a different story. I now know not to use a credit card that will expire before my trip to purchase tickets. Thanks to all who answered.

Wow, you stressed out waaaaaay too much over this. You couldn't check in online because you were randomly selected for additional screening (SSSS on your boarding pass). Remember, online check-in is a convenience and the random security selection is requested by the TSA so don't blame the airline.

When you said "they tried to tell me to run the credit card I used to purchase the tickets with through" do you mean they told you to swipe it at the kiosk? This is only to pull your name from the credit card to pull up your reservation. It does not have to be the credit card used to purchase the ticket -- any credit card with your name (expired or valid) will work. Don't worry about using a soon to be expired credit card. Hope your travels next time are more pleasurable!!

 

[jmkrat]

Wow, you stressed out waaaaaay too much over this. You couldn't check in online because you were randomly selected for additional screening (SSSS on your boarding pass). Remember, online check-in is a convenience and the random security selection is requested by the TSA so don't blame the airline.

When you said "they tried to tell me to run the credit card I used to purchase the tickets with through" do you mean they told you to swipe it at the kiosk? This is only to pull your name from the credit card to pull up your reservation. It does not have to be the credit card used to purchase the ticket -- any credit card with your name (expired or valid) will work. Don't worry about using a soon to be expired credit card. Hope your travels next time are more pleasurable!!

No, they wanted the original credit card. I tried to swipe my new card through. I did not have a boarding pass and there wasn't an SSSS on my boarding pass when I received it. Most of the frustration comes from the customer service end. They had cited the reason I couldn't check in online was because I had changed the reservation, and wanted to make sure no one was using my card. They said it was for my security, and to prevent fraud for me. Ok, that was great, however they were going to let my DH go through no questions asked. They said several times to just bring the original card used with booking ( from checking in at the kiosks in the past I never used the same credit card), I said I no longer had the number. They were specfic on asking for that card. I talked to 6 different people. When asked what I was supposed to do ( since I no longer had the card) they said bring the statements with all the charges from the airline on them. Even when I got to the airport and tried to swipe a credit card through, the agent said you need the one you booked with. When I didn't have it, I went to the front and actually got the paper tickets. When I originally wrote this, it was a day before my trip and didn't need to spend all that time on the phone and looking for statements. I am disappointed in the customer service aspect, but I do realize that they are not alone in outsourcing their phone centers. I got over the stress factor right away.

 

[uva185]

No, they wanted the original credit card. I tried to swipe my new card through. I did not have a boarding pass and there wasn't an SSSS on my boarding pass when I received it. Most of the frustration comes from the customer service end. They had cited the reason I couldn't check in online was because I had changed the reservation, and wanted to make sure no one was using my card. They said it was for my security, and to prevent fraud for me. Ok, that was great, however they were going to let my DH go through no questions asked. They said several times to just bring the original card used with booking ( from checking in at the kiosks in the past I never used the same credit card), I said I no longer had the number. They were specfic on asking for that card. I talked to 6 different people. When asked what I was supposed to do ( since I no longer had the card) they said bring the statements with all the charges from the airline on them. Even when I got to the airport and tried to swipe a credit card through, the agent said you need the one you booked with. When I didn't have it, I went to the front and actually got the paper tickets. When I originally wrote this, it was a day before my trip and didn't need to spend all that time on the phone and looking for statements. I am disappointed in the customer service aspect, but I do realize that they are not alone in outsourcing their phone centers. I got over the stress factor right away.

Wow, in all my flying.....and changing tickets I have never had that happen. Are you sure there was no SSSS on your boarding pass? It's small on the very bottom....on the portion the airline keeps, I believe. It is how the TSA identifies who to search.

I agree UA customer service sucks. I am not a frequent flier with them and even on international business and first class tickets I have to deal with the same customer service reps. it can be VERY frustrating!!!