How does curb side check in work?

[puffkin]

I am ashamed to admit, but I don't know how this works.

Usually it is just the two of us and we usually fly US Air EARLY morning. So, we always have our seats assigned ahead of time and just use the kiosks at the counter.

This trip in June we are taking family so there will be 6 of us total, 3 who have never flown before. We are also flying Airtran for the first time. I plan to do the online check in 24 hours in advance to try and get seats close together. Since I can print the boarding passes then, it would be easier to probably just do curbside check in. How does that work and would that be our best bet?

 

[CarolA]

With curbside check in you just show your ID (and boarding pass if you have it) to the skycap. He will look you up in the computer and tag your bags for transport to the desination. The skycaps do not normally work for the airline and this is a tipped postion. I tip about $2 for the first two bags and maybe $1 for each additional (I have never checked over 3 bags and for that I tip $5)

You then go in and go thru the security line bypassing the counter.

 

[safetymom]

Curbside check in is usually faster. There are also some kiosks in the airport where you can check in with your luggage if the outside line is very long.

If you check in right at the 24 hour mark you should be able to get seats next to each other.