Reason for checking in online??

[antkim]

Now I know that when you are not assigned seats (like SWA) this is a must but why check in online when you already have assigned seats? Is there a plus to this? I guess I am just not "up to date" on this...so thanks!

Kim

 

[pumba]

my neice her husband .......the triplets.....my brother and his wife tried to get their boarding passes on line today.......they are scheduled to fly out Friday at nine twenty am......well only my brother his wife and one of the triplets have confirmed seats....and boarding passes.....the airline said that they ahve ten floating seats and no one knows who will get them........Now is this fair.......Pay for a vacation and then have no way to go.......they will find out when they get there tomorrow morning

 

[antkim]

wow..that stinks! Hope all works out for them!

 

[Bob P]

Now I know that when you are not assigned seats (like SWA) this is a must but why check in online when you already have assigned seats? Is there a plus to this? I guess I am just not "up to date" on this...so thanks!

Kim

Hi Kim,

In order to board the aircraft you have to have a boarding pass. The only way to get one is to check in somewhere, so particularly if you are not checking bags, on-line check-in eliminates you having to stand in a human line or a kiosk line to check in.

Hope this helps!

Bob

 

[goofy4tink]

Since we always have bags to check, we can't do the on-line check-in. But, we fly Song and I have to say that I have never waited in a line at any of the kiosks. Then we just hand our bags over to baggage people, show our ID and we're off to security. Takes about 8 minutes. Or you could even do curbside check-in and that's pretty fast but you have to tip for that service. I figure that I'm at the airport about 2 hrs. early and all I'm gonna do is sit in my seat and wait, so what's the big deal with waiting 10 minutes to check my stuff. We are always among the first 10 people at the gate....might be time to start getting there a little later!!

 

[dudspizza]

I love online check in. Now, I fly an airline that only allows for seat assignment 24hours in advance online, so I am also choosing my seat.

BUT, I am now checked in and ready to go. If I am not checking luggage, I can go straight to the gate. This is never the case so I have two choices for checking baggage. I can use curb-side baggage drop and off to the gate I go. I can also go to the counter and with Sun Country I can get in a special line for VIP's and Web Check in people that goes to the head of the line. Never a wait. So online check in a huge benefit.

As for all of the people in the party above not getting their boarding passes...... There are TSA rules where certain people get kicked out of the system and have to finish check in at the airport. This happened to us on our flight down to MCO last year. We simply had to show ID at the check in desk and we got our boarding passes. I am sure this is something of the case and the family will get seats together, just get to the airport early.

Have fun.

Duds

 

[Emily and Jack's Dad]

Since we always have bags to check, we can't do the on-line check-in. But, we fly Song and I have to say that I have never waited in a line at any of the kiosks. Then we just hand our bags over to baggage people, show our ID and we're off to security. Takes about 8 minutes. Or you could even do curbside check-in and that's pretty fast but you have to tip for that service. I figure that I'm at the airport about 2 hrs. early and all I'm gonna do is sit in my seat and wait, so what's the big deal with waiting 10 minutes to check my stuff. We are always among the first 10 people at the gate....might be time to start getting there a little later!!

Just returned from Orlando and a week at WDW. On a Friday morning (10am) we returned our rental car and came upon long lines at Delta and at Song. We purchased tickets through Orbitz, so we didn't have an e-ticket, but I am a Delta frequent flier, so I was able to use my FF card at their self-service kiosk and get my family of 5 checked-in and our 7 pieces of luggage tagged. All we had to do was wait for the desk attendant to pull out the luggage stickers from her side of the kiosk, apply them to our luggage and then we took our luggage to the security area for screening. I looked and the line at Song was still at least 20 people.

 

[goofy4tink]

Just returned from Orlando and a week at WDW. On a Friday morning (10am) we returned our rental car and came upon long lines at Delta and at Song. We purchased tickets through Orbitz, so we didn't have an e-ticket, but I am a Delta frequent flier, so I was able to use my FF card at their self-service kiosk and get my family of 5 checked-in and our 7 pieces of luggage tagged. All we had to do was wait for the desk attendant to pull out the luggage stickers from her side of the kiosk, apply them to our luggage and then we took our luggage to the security area for screening. I looked and the line at Song was still at least 20 people.

Yep, that's what we do also. You can also use a credit card to access the kiosk. But we use our FF cards too. It always amazes me to see the people stand there, in that long line. Not sure why they don't use the kiosks...maybe they are unsure as to what to do. But, I have to say that there have always been attendents around to help out if someone gets stuck. It's just so darn easy to use.
I am looking forward to not having to lug my stuff over to the security area anymore tho. With DME and flying with Song, I get rid of it back at my resort. That's the one part of MCO I'm not crazy about.

 

[safetymom]

Pumba, I wouldn't worry. There are many no shows on flights and they usually hold back more than 10. If the flight is oversold they will ask for volunteers to be bumped for free tickets.

Another reason to check in online is if you want to change your seat there are some to choose from if you check in early.

 

[ducklite]

I always check in online and print my boarding pass. I'm usually flying by myself with just a tote and my pocketbook, so I go right to security and then to the gate, so much quicker!.

Anne

 

[DebbieB]

I print online boarding passes even if I have to check luggage. For example, today I flew home from a business trip - MSP to PIT on Northwest. I did not have an assigned seat when I booked it, all they had left were preferred seats for very frequent flyers. I went online yesterday afternoon at the 24 hour mark and grabbed one of about 5 seats they opened up (row 14 of 15). When I got to MSP today, I still had to check my luggage at the counter but at least I had my seat reserved. The flight turned out to be full, I don't know if anyone was bumped but the gate agent did say every seat was taken. It was an Avro RJ (65 seats), the carryon luggage situation was a mess. Luckily I was in the back and had a soft carryon bag that fit in the overhead. A guy across from me tried to stuff a rollaboard in the overhead and when the FA tried to close the door, it wouldn't shut (in the back of the plane the overhead was smaller because of the shape of the tail). So he had to take it all the way to the front to gate check it, as did some others.