SW - not eligible for boarding pass??

[K9pal]

We're at the 24 hour mark for our flight .
We made ticketless, online reservations with SW. Just went to print our boarding passes - I can do mine, but it says DH is "ineligible for online check in " and will need to go to the desk. Why would that happen? The tickets are on one confirmation number.
TIA!

 

[goofy4tink]

This crops up every once in awhile it seems. Your dh may have the same name as someone on the 'list' of people that have to be checked over more thoroughly. It won't take too much longer...I would plan on getting to the airport a bit earlier. Besides...if you get an A boarding pass spot, and Dh doesn't, you can always save him a seat.

 

[pbnjrockette]

Same thing happened to my neice and her husband. He has the same name as someone on "the list" (nice Irish name!) and everytime they fly she prints her ticket out first, then gets locked out for his and for some reason her 3 kids. Never a problem at the airport--they've tried to "clear" his name but since he isn't the problem someone else is..it keeps coming up. Just give yourself a little extra time.

 

[K9pal]

Thanks Diane! Funny that they'd select a law enforcement officer to look at, but whatever!
Interesting... we have an Irish name also!

Sue

 

[debster812]

This crops up every once in awhile it seems. Your dh may have the same name as someone on the 'list' of people that have to be checked over more thoroughly. It won't take too much longer...I would plan on getting to the airport a bit earlier. Besides...if you get an A boarding pass spot, and Dh doesn't, you can always save him a seat.

ITA with this. My 9YO (yes, my nine year old child) cannot be checking in online. As near as we can tell it's either because of the combination of the letters in his name fit some sort of sorting algorithm, or he shares a name with someone a 'the list'. We just plan for it now. He also has an Celtic name.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

I wouldn't worry at all, just get there a little earlier. And if you have an A boarding pass, they should let him board with you. Just tell them that when he checks in.

 

[bdcp]

The "list" is TSA's no-fly list. For most people that get caught up in it all it means is that the names are the same or very similar and have to be scrutizined closer which means boarding passes issued in person. There's no way to know someone with the same name isn't the person being watched for when online. If you have the same name, you have the same name.

 

[onyx8]

I wouldn't worry at all, just get there a little earlier. And if you have an A boarding pass, they should let him board with you. Just tell them that when he checks in.

My DH used to have the same problem. We were told that he could not board with me and my 'A' pass, but that I could save him a seat. So that is what we did. Until one day when he was magically cleared from the "do not checkin online list" and now he can checkin online with me.

 

[CPT Tripss]

It is also possible that he has been randomly selected for secondary screening. Something the TSA requires alll airlines to do. SW, and other lines, just willl not allow a select few to print thier passes.
Until you mentioned that the was a LEO, I was also going to suggest that Sr. fares can't print their passes until their ID has been checked (after on check, you can ask them to adjust your file through your frequent flyer number).

 

[K9pal]

This is our first time flying SW, and also the first time we've flown since 2002. So this info is very helpful and interesting too. I did get an A pass and will save him a seat. He did decide now to leave his badge at home - I think he's a bit scared they might make him an honorary air marshall!!

 

[jiminy14]

This happens to my DH all the time and he is a former FBI agent! He has a very common Irish (again) name and he can never print out his SWA boarding pass. SWA instructed me to purchase his ticket separately from now on so that the rest of the family would not be affected by his no-fly status. Now he checks in at the airport and we just save him a seat.

 

[PatsMom]

You're lucky you were able to print your boarding pass - last year I was unable to check any of us in on line because DH's name is apparently "on the list". Again, a good Irish name! We just plan to get there a little early and if all the A passes are gone we don't worry about it. DD is old enough that sitting together isn't really an issue. And the passengers with the C passes get there at the same time as the A's.

 

[mommic32]

You're lucky you were able to print your boarding pass - last year I was unable to check any of us in on line because DH's name is apparently "on the list". Again, a good Irish name! We just plan to get there a little early and if all the A passes are gone we don't worry about it. DD is old enough that sitting together isn't really an issue. And the passengers with the C passes get there at the same time as the A's.

This is exactly the same with us last year! Same thing,Irish name, None of us could print our boarding passes! What a way to fly for the first time!
We all ended up with a C! Yeah that's right, our daughters first flight, they are older and did just fine!

 

[DVC-Don]

It's happened to me a few times. Seems to be totally random thing the TSA does.

 

[madge]

We're at the 24 hour mark for our flight .
We made ticketless, online reservations with SW. Just went to print our boarding passes - I can do mine, but it says DH is "ineligible for online check in " and will need to go to the desk. Why would that happen? The tickets are on one confirmation number.
TIA!

it's poosible that your DH has a name similar to a name on the no-fly list.

 

[mdhkitten]

It apparently also happens if you fly with a "lap child", and happen to mention it to Southwest before your flight. This happened to me in May because I had to call and adjust something concerning our flights. The lady said that she would not that I had a lap child, and apparently that sent up a red flag in the system so that I would have to check in before hand (you're supposed to with a lap child, but apparently there are those people who don't even think about it).

 

[NotUrsula]

FYI: Having an Irish name has nothing to do with ending up on the list. I not only have such a name, but one that is recognizable for being associated with a very famous "republican martyr", and neither I nor any of my US family have ever been on the list. Believe me, if they were looking for folks whose names match those of accused IRA terrorists, we would be on it.

The key is that the names on the list are common ones, and thanks to the Irish diaspora, there are a LOT of Irish names that are common in the US. (My name is very strongly associated with the IRA, but it is also a really uncommon name.) Men also tend to end up on the list more often than women do because there is a shorter list of common male names than female ones.

Helpful tips: Use a shortened or lengthened form of the name. Ex.: If "James Murphy" gets flagged, next time make the reservation in the name "James M. Murphy" or "James Martin Murphy" or "James Martin Murphy, Jr.", or "J. Martin Murphy, Jr." (They won't tell you in advance if a certain form of name is on the list; you have to just guess and hope for the best.)

Most importantly, in the case of an adult who matches the list used by SWA, next time don't make joint reservations for an entire party including that person. If Dad matches the list, make a separate reservation for Dad. That way everyone else can check in online without tripping the security flag.