Cut off for check-in not being honoured

[ozbeachbabe]

I would have just gone to a kiosk or right to the gate with HLO.

Flight changes between 20 & 30 minutes cannot be done at a kiosk so people eligible to change flights (WP etc) have to see a person eg CSA's at checkin, ticket counter, service desk or lounge for the change to happen.

On a recent flight to PER I'd done mobile checkin the day prior so had the QR code on my phone but thought I'd reprint a boarding pass from the kiosk as I exited the lounge about T-25 however got the response the flight had closed or something similar so couldn't even do a re-print.

I suspect they had all pax checked-in and had closed off the load sheet (not sure the exact terminology) meaning no changes (irrespective of your fare etc). It would save them time than having to recalculate loads etc. Perhaps it was fully sold (and the agent you spoke to either didn't look at this or it wasn't visible).
I guess there are a host of possible reasons. So basically i'd say they closed off the flight early to ensure they got away on time.

IMHO it's not so much when they close the flight for checkin that determines an ontime departure (although for JQ & TT that's when they print the final pax list and reports so more relevant to them) but people sitting in the QP & the JL who don't take the initiative of getting to the gate on time because they've been on their phone so haven't heard the boarding call despite there being a massive FIDS screen in the lounge that will flash "boarding."

The Captain will receive a provisional loadsheet electronically at T-25 which then once all pax are onboard and boarding has closed a final loadsheet will priint after the ramp leading hand has completed the readback (of cargo pax bags in the hold) to the load controller.

I think the issue is what happens between 30 and 20 minutes out from a flight. If everyone is checked-in at 30 minutes prior to the flight, there is no real reason to keep check-in open, so they can get on with doing the paperwork...You really are at the mercy of the gate agents once that point is reached.

CSA's are only supposed to move pax from the availability options given by the system when a flight change is requested otherwise they would have to force transfer the pax like in a disrupt or a flow forward situation. AFAIK with a flight departing within 30 minutes the flight in question would not show up as an available option (even if the fare bucket was available) so the CSA may be reluctant to force someone on to the flight and cop a 'please explain' from management as everything can be tracked as to who's done what.

Qantas and Virgin are very touchy about their On Time Performance lately. Gate agents may be under pressure to ensure that OTP is maintained, and these situations, from their perspective, just add potential delays. So the check-in agent makes a call to the gate agent: they're under pressure to make a decision and may not know all the facts in an instant, so their natural response is probably going to be one of caution and therefore, denial. It's an unfortunate set of circumstances for the OP, but I'm sure Qantas would be happy to receive the feedback.

The system parameters probably don't show flights departing within 30 minutes to avoid a CSA offering a flight to a pax who has a bag to checkin only to find baggage acceptance has closed. The downside however is eligible pax with HLO are collateral damage ie the computer says no.

The OTP of any airline would be helped enormously if people were in their seats at T-15. It really is selfish and arrogant to arrive at the gate at T-5 saying "the flight doesn't go for another five minutes yet."