Why wouldn't you curbside checkin?

[mata2635]

We fly out of Providence RI alot and as I watch people waiting in the long lines to have their luggage scaned I wonder why they bother? Drop it off on the curb and by pass the lines. It worth the tip!

 

[dudspizza]

We fly out of Providence RI alot and as I watch people waiting in the long lines to have their luggage scaned I wonder why they bother? Drop it off on the curb and by pass the lines. It worth the tip!

I don't do it because I use online check in. My carrier, Sun Country has a separate line for VIP/Online Check In people. We never have to wait. This way, I know that my bags are in the terminal on time and at security. Just a personal preference.

I would guess most people who go to the counter still need to check in and get boarding passes, as well as check their luggage. It is also very possible that they don't know how to use curbside check in.

Duds

 

[mkymouse4ever]

I don't use it cause 1 year at ohare (chicago) we were going to las vegas, later flight. We where early, storms where approaching so came up to airport. They said no flights cancelled, so we went up and did not sent bags at curbside, BUT while in line at American Airlines our flight went off the screen "cancelled" we got to counter they said good you have your luggage, go to United you can get on there next flight now. I like to keep my bags till I check in at the counter ever since.

mky

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

My last flight out of Orlando Int'l, the line for Southwest inside was MONSTROUS. It was SO long. But so was the line for the curbside check in, and they had less staffing. I ended up waiting inside, and the line moved VERY quickly. It looked like a 45 minute line, but it ended up taking 10-15 minutes, if that. I never had a chance to set my bag down, because we were moving so quickly through it. I don't know which line would have been quicker, but the skycap line didn't seem to be moving as fast, since they had far less people working out there.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

We fly out of Providence RI alot and as I watch people waiting in the long lines to have their luggage scaned I wonder why they bother? Drop it off on the curb and by pass the lines. It worth the tip!

I imagine that one big reason is that people want to save the $1-$2 per bag gratuity that skycaps customarily receive.

I get to use the elite lines with several airlines, so, for me, the skycaps often have a longer lines than the counter. With today's wheeled luggage, it's so easy to roll the luggage to the counter, so I usually don't even think about using the services of a skycap.

That said, I used a skycap a few weeks ago at American Airlines at O'Hare. I hadn't planned to, but the car service dropped me off right in front of a skycap station, and the skycap, who wasn't busy at the time, greeted me. The skycap not only performed the traditional service of tagging and taking my luggage, he also checked IDs and issued boarding passes. And he was very friendly and thorough.

They said no flights cancelled, so we went up and did not sent bags at curbside, BUT while in line at American Airlines our flight went off the screen "cancelled" we got to counter they said good you have your luggage, go to United you can get on there next flight now.

But what if the American Airlines flight had been cancelled a few minutes after you checked in at the AA counter, instead a few minutes after you passed the curbside skycap?

As I wrote in my reply to mata2635, the skycaps now perform all the services that the counter provides. They use the same computer system, and they print boarding passes.

 

[BuckNaked]

Before I started printing my own boarding passes, I used to use the skycaps, and I was always able to get a boarding pass from them. I'm flying Independence Air out of Dulles in June, and I've never flown them, so I'll see what happens. I'm printing out our boarding passes the day before, so hopefully I can just leave our bags with the skycap at Dulles.

 

[DebbieB]

I like to use curbside if available. At PIT, I drop off the luggage curbside and then park. At MCO, I drop it off before returning the car. That way it doesn't have to be carried from the parking lot or car return.

 

[safetymom]

I love curbside check in. I am elite with the airline I usually fly with but it is so easy to drop off the luggage and then go park the car. Worth the tip.

 

[Alice Sr.]

Just as an FYI according to Crain's, United is going to start charging $2 per bag checked through the skycap. Sorry, I can't remember the specifics.

 

[DVC-Don]

We find at times the curbside line is longer than the counter line at Orlando. We check both lines.

 

[safetymom]

Why would they charge for curbside check in? The skycaps work for tips.

 

[shelleyz]

3 weeks ago when we flew out of PVD we did curbside check in(already had boarding passes we printed online) they sent DH inside to a very short line. The skycap tagged all our bags then sent DH inside and told him where to go. I guess it was good DH stayed with the luggage because they needed to inspect it. They called out the name then checked it with DH standing there. There was another line outside where they send the luggage through and that line(conveyer belt) of luggage was really long so maybe thats why he sent us inside.

 

[Melrosgirl]

My last flight out of Orlando Int'l, the line for Southwest inside was MONSTROUS. It was SO long. But so was the line for the curbside check in, and they had less staffing. I ended up waiting inside, and the line moved VERY quickly. It looked like a 45 minute line, but it ended up taking 10-15 minutes, if that. I never had a chance to set my bag down, because we were moving so quickly through it. I don't know which line would have been quicker, but the skycap line didn't seem to be moving as fast, since they had far less people working out there.

Last Monday I was at Orlando and sure enough, this is exactly what we saw! Super long line outside for curbside checkin at Southwest, one person working there, long line inside, but it took 10 minutes to get through.

 

[Lewisc]

Some people don't want to tip. Depending the security level and staffing the line inside may go a lot quicker than the line outside for the skycap. The counter area inside is heated or air conditioned as needed. I decided in Vegas I'd rather spend a little more time waiting inside rather than waiting 15 minutes for a skycap in the sun with a temperature close to 100.

 

[crazywig]

We fly out of Providence RI alot and as I watch people waiting in the long lines to have their luggage scaned I wonder why they bother? Drop it off on the curb and by pass the lines. It worth the tip!

we also fly out of PVD and with Southwest you will STILL have to come inside and wait while they put your luggage through the xray machines. so we only do curbside if the line is shorter. either way, the waits for Southwest at PVD are ridiculous.

unless they've changed since january, which would be great.

 

[shelleyz]

You still have to wait with your luggage for Southwest. We did 3 weeks ago. We only waited maybe 5 minutes. Guess it all depends what time and what day of the week. It was a Saturday around 3 pm for us.

 

[granmanh603]

I had issues at PVD and MCO with curb side...at PVD they checked in 5 or 7 passengers once. Then last trip at MCO we used curb side and the red cap
3 1/2 hrs early and he said oh the plane is delayed a little. By the time he was done with all the bag he said its delayed hours, we were traveling with 3 small children. This was AFTER he gave us boarding passes. He tried to do nothing just shrugged his shoulders. We thought about it and since we were so early thought we go to the SW counter and they were much more help ful Told us to go wait at another gate for earlier flight which by the way was non stop, and tell the girl our problem. They only other problem was we had already checked our bags thanks to curb side check in. But SW was very helpful and actually went and looked for the bags and we arrived earlier and no stop with our bag but not because of any curb side help and for this we payed Oh by the way we were in gourp C

 

[TDC Nala]

Assuming I'm on time for my flight, I think it's not worth the tip.

 

[julfre]

I was under the impression that since Sky caps are Not airline employees that if they mess something up(wrong location or tags on bags) and your bag gets lost, that the airlines don't have the same responsibility for helping you out. Was I way off on this?? That is the main reason that I've only used them a couple of times.

 

[Alice Sr.]

I was under the impression that since Sky caps are Not airline employees that if they mess something up(wrong location or tags on bags) and your bag gets lost, that the airlines don't have the same responsibility for helping you out. Was I way off on this?? That is the main reason that I've only used them a couple of times.

I think the article in Crain's that I read, about charging $2 per bag at MDW alluded to recapturing some of the cost of the skycaps. I'm not sure, but I'm going to try and find the article again and read it completely.