What do people do at the check in counter for 16min???

[harvyk]

I didn't tell them to 'shove it', I simply knew it would end in tears at AKL (the check-in guy mistakenly thought I was in J AKL-MEL) so cut things off at the pass!

how nsistant where you about being in Y? Was it that you simply mentioned thanks but I'm meant to be in Y, or did you actually insist that a Y boarding pass must be issued?

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I didn't tell them to 'shove it', I simply knew it would end in tears at AKL (the check-in guy mistakenly thought I was in J AKL-MEL) so cut things off at the pass!

Well I think I would've said thanks very much and seen what happened in akl. I dont see how it can end in tears

 

[tuapekastar]

how nsistant where you about being in Y? Was it that you simply mentioned thanks but I'm meant to be in Y, or did you actually insist that a Y boarding pass must be issued?

Not insistent at all. Just mentioned it and he recommenced the check-in.

Well I think I would've said thanks very much and seen what happened in akl. I dont see how it can end in tears

As you are welcome to do if you wish.

 

[JohnPhelan]

My last international departure check-in from Australia took longer than expected. I had a valid PNR, and everything said "confirmed" and status "OK", but when checking in, the CSA said while she could find the booking via the PNR, no ticket number had been entered in the booking. So she had to get a supervisor, who rang somebody somewhere, and got the ticket number and then entered it. Probably took 10 minutes, instead of the expected two.

 

[MelUser]

I am checking in at Melbourne airport next month.

1 PNR, 6 PAX - 3 ticket numbers each. Domestic start to Sydney 4 flights - end destination is KRK via SYD, BKK and HEL (I love sayin HELL!)

I expect checking to take at least 30 mins. There will be probably 8 pieces to check in.

 

[Peabody]

I didn't tell them to 'shove it', I simply knew it would end in tears at AKL (the check-in guy mistakenly thought I was in J AKL-MEL) so cut things off at the pass!

I would have just said "thanks" and seen if it stuck at AKL!

 

[Paddy55]

Mrs Paddy and I checked in at the F Checkin at SYD on Monday.

Mrs Paddy, with 3 flights on an AAward was done in a minute.

I was on just the one flight, QF11, in F after I scored an upgrade from a JASA and that seemed to bugger up my US Immigration details in the reservation/ticket. Took 15 mins to fix that up

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I would have just said "thanks" and seen if it stuck at AKL!

Me too, I believe most people would. That's how most business class upgrades are handed out ... sir, I have found a better seat for you! <passes over business boarding pass>.

 

[tuapekastar]

Me too, I believe most people would. That's how most business class upgrades are handed out ... sir, I have found a better seat for you! <passes over business boarding pass>.

The man made a mistake, there was no upgrade handed out. I thought that is what I said, but to be clear, it is what I am saying now.

 

[coles525]

Only 2 weeks ago or so, after boarding an early flight in Malaysia (kota kina balu / 45 min flight),

We made it to the 2nd check in (Malaysia airlines to Thailand via kuala lumper).

1) We had our details on us..
1a) flight was delayed. ... It would mean we would miss our next connecting flight in KL. (flight 3 for the day...)

1b) They infact somehow put our exact same flight / booking for the next day (we have it correctly in writing).

1c) can't make the 10.30am flight, as in less then 10 or so minutes yo clear customs. We managed tk be booked on the next flight (11th hour of the morning).

1d) After him making calls / boss at another desk, he has done 2 good things.

A) On our flight from there, he has blacked out the 3rd seat.

B) On the 3rd and final flight for the day, we werr given free emergency seats. .....


Thus, we were wsiting for over 30min before we got our passes. .....

Glad I was banned from looking in the shops before check in. ... Otherwise we would be bad. ... (insert words...)

 

[Aussie_flyer]

The man made a mistake, there was no upgrade handed out. I thought that is what I said, but to be clear, it is what I am saying now.

How did you know it was an error?

 

[day-heg]

At KUL a couple of years ago, an Air Asia X check in agent took exactly 22 minutes to charge me $6 for my baggage being 1kg overweight!!!

I did ponder the wisdom of starting a conversation about staff efficiency and whether the time he took doing this offset sufficiently against the revenue generated (not withstanding the hoards of people in the queue behind me)..... but I eventually thought better of it.

English wasn't his first language and my Malay is non existent, and I realised that it would just delay things even more. And Mrs D-H had duty free shopping to do!

 

[Flying Fox]

Back in 2006 when I had a paper ticket with AA, I spent a super long time at the counter.

I can't remember the cities but me & the Mrs were traveling A-B-C-D. However, when I check-in for the A-B flight, they also took the B-C coupon. So when I tried to get onto my B-C flight there was no coupon. Mrs Flying Fox was OK. I tried to explain that there obviously was a mistake as the flight was clearly listed for the correct date & time I didn't take the flight already. However, the lady at check-in couldn't deal with it. Called in supervisors x2, forms filled in, people typed stuff, people looked at each other. Eventually we both got on our flight. It was annoying but mistakes happen. Felt bad for holding up the lines but it wasn't really my fault.

 

[badseed]

Mine was December 23 last year at SFO, with my girlfriend attempting to check-in for SFO - LAX - MEL on AA/QF.

Agent told me that our flight times had been changed, and we'd subsequently missed our SFO - LAX flight.

I told her that no, we were confirmed on this particular flight - showed her the 'Confirmed' section in the QF iPhone app. She tapped away more and said, no, you're not on the flight.

I asked her to call QF to see if it could be sorted out - 'no we can't talk directly to them'.

I called QF's USA number and asked what was going on - they said 'you're definitely confirmed' and gave me a booking code to tell the AA agent. That didn't help, and the QF lady (who was very helpful) asked to speak to the AA agent, who refused to speak to her directly.

So after about another 25 minutes of relaying competing information and booking references between the two parties, AA put us on standby for a fully-booked SFO-LAX flight, but couldn't give us our boarding passes for LAX - MEL on QF94.

Ended up being the top 2 of the standby list, and only 3 made it on, so very lucky.

To top it off I was then horribly unwell for the entire 15 hour flight home - possibly something I ate in the QF J-lounge at LAX. The CSM and FO on QF94 were sorely tempted to divert to HNL but I said I'd struggle on. Clearing quarantine in Melbourne I was escorted to a private room (I could barely walk at this stage) and questioned by a medical person, then released.

 

[nickykim]

In March this year it took the Toll employee 30 minutes to check me into a Air New Zeland flight from Melbourne to San Francisco via Auckland and LAX (on one PNR). She had no idea how use the computer system and had to call a supervisor as she couldn't see how to process an NZ citizen. Then she told me she had managed to get me a really good seat, exit row between Auckland and LAX - which was no surprise as I had already PAID for it. Think I will apply for an Australian passport when my NZ one expires.

 

[browski]

Had a long time (15 - 20 mins) checking in at LAX for LAX-AKL-MEL. The issue was that LAX-AKL was the last leg of a DONE4, and AKL-MEL was just to get me home on a separate ticket (in Y, and same flight number - QF26 - but a change of aircraft at AKL as well). Agent had problems, had to get his supervisor over, they typed away awhile and eventually he presented me 2 x BPs and proclaimed "I got you a good seat on AKL-MEL". Indeed he had, one in J! I said that's a wonderful seat thanks but I'm in Y on that leg, so he had to get the supervisor over and 'unload' me from the flight and do it again.

Frequent Flyer 101.
Topic: How not to get an upgrade: See the example listed above.

Topic: How to get an upgrade: See the example below:
Check-in Agent: "I got you a good seat on AKL-MEL"
Browski: "Thankyou, Bye."

 

[browski]

One thing I can't get my head around is where people stand at the check in counter for a long period.
maybe someone can shed some light on this for me

JASON

Nice thread, Jason.

This is an issue on human behaviour which light has rarely been shone upon.......and only recently have psychologists begun to unravel this mystery.

First of all; the incredibly complex workflow:
1. Approach Counter with Passport (and possibly visa), Ticket(s) printout and reasonably sized luggage.
2. Depart 60-75 sec later with Boarding pass.

Second: The protagonists.
1. Humans who were not meant to fly.

Third: How to identify these people?
1. Anyone who sets up camp at the check-in counter with legs akimbo, body and arms leaning forward onto counter, and body weight lowered into passive/aggressive posture. (These people are not going anywhere quickly; in fact scientists suggest that even if they were processed quickly, they would still not depart the counter until they had consumed what they felt was a pound of flesh commensurate with their ticket cost)
2. Anyone who has a bag(s) which requires a luggage trolley.
3. Anyone who approaches check-in with a surf board, guitar, parrot, samurai sword.
4. Anyone dressed in religious robes, tribal robes, singlet, bare feet, wedding gown.

Fourth: Possible solutions to avoid being trapped behind these people.
1. On-Line check-in
2. Business/First check-in
3. Single line theory. If there is one of the above protagonists at the only check-in counter and you are the only person waiting in line, then to have the protagonist depart the counter you must actually leave the line and move precisely 23 metres away. Stay close enough so that you can quickly return (if he departs), but do not let the protagonist sense that you are waiting for him to depart. If he detects your strategy then he will entrench himself further at the counter. Only if he feels safe to leave (and that he could come back to the counter and not wait in line), will he actually depart the counter. This is a high risk strategy, but the risk/reward might be worth it if you have a heavily embedded counter-clogger.

Best of luck out there.

 

[Happy Trails]

Third: How to identify these people?
1. Anyone who sets up camp at the check-in counter with legs akimbo,

I think I know what you mean but trying to visualize this makes my brain hurt.

 

[docjames]

The band with 5 members, all with instruments, checking in at PER (VA) looked like they were going to be a looooong time.

Fortunately on of the VA agents had the sense to call waiting J line pax across as each economy checkin point freed up!

 

[serfty]

I always used to wonder but on one occasion where the rest of our DONE4 disappeared we looked likely to be there for a while until the agent"found it".It must have popped out for a coffee.
On the other hand we had 2 BA flights in Africa in March/april but they are they are still in mrsdrron's bookings as coming up in July/august.

SWMBO and I were on a joint LONE4 (AA issued). After/during flying -LAX-xORD-FCO- as part of this, somehow our booking became split and my ticket number changed.

Before leaving Rome, I noticed a new PNR for me and thought it rather strange. I did not worry too much though, merely making sure I had recorded the new PNR.

Checking in a few mornings later at FCO to go to MAD then TLS with IB became problematic as they could not find my ticket number. My wife's booking was fine but mine was nowhere to be 'seen' by their systems. I had no internet access or other method of finding it. It was over an hour later before they were able to find it (the agent called AA in the other terminal [who had just 'opened'] and was able to obtain my new 001- number).

So, yes - even when you think you have all bases covered, thing can go awry at check-in.

Flying out of TLS with TLS-xLHR-SIN,SIN-MEL with the latter on a separate booking took the BA agent over 20 minutes ...