What's the point of early check-in

[get me outta here]

What/how do you call their bluff?

My wife and I had our carefully selected seats shifted as we didn't OLCI from row 46 on an intl 332 to one of the back rows. The check-in agent was quite rude about it and played the someone with status has requested your seats (Row 46 on an intl 332 really?) so I called the bluff (in reality one wasn't a QFF and the other was a NB). We ended up back in our preselected seats and no apology!

 

[mannej]

What/how do you call their bluff?

The bluff about the higher status members taking our seats - they backed down as it was a non-QFF pax and a NB who they had moved into our seats.

I was polite but I told them straight that reason was highly unlikely. Being lied to in that situation was particularly pleasant.

 

[RichardMEL]

I'd be wondering WHY they removed your assigned seats to move those people in there? that's weird.

 

[mannej]

I'd be wondering WHY they removed your assigned seats to move those people in there? that's weird.

I'm only assuming here but we had an infant on the booking. My guess was these two appeared at checkin wanting a better seat and felt that we were the path of least resistance.

Whilst the ground staff at PER were quite blasé about the situation, RR was very proactive in dealing with it which I was thankful for her follow up

 

[njba]

I was chatting with one of the (lovely) QF check-in people in BNE last week and she was of the opinion that checking-in via the app (if you have an exit row) will result in errors at the gate BP scan.

 

[Dr Ralph]

It secures your seat. That's a HUGE advantage!

 

[BD1959]

You can bypass this if you check-in via the Qantas app, it will allow you to generate your boarding pass for an exit row seat.

Confirmed, these are my usual seats-of-choice.

Checking in through the web interface or at the airport requires manual issuing of BPs, using any of the Apos - or the SMS generated prompt - doesn't.

Regards,

BD

 

[Sdtravel]

I've had this happen and can tell you exactly why.

If you check-in first using the web interface, you will receive the general proceed to counter prompt.
If you check-in first using the Qantas app, you will have no issues receiving your boarding pass or checking in at the gate, but;
If you check-in first using the web interface and then check-in again using the Qantas app, you will receive your boarding pass but create an error at the gate which needs to be manually rectified.

I just checkedin for my flight tomorrow in an exit row.
The checkin system seems to have been changed since my flight last month. Anyways i was issued a boarding pass not the usual "see the desk". So perhaps anyone can now checkin online in an exit row.
Still going to stop by the desk for a real boading pass though

 

[njba]

Assuming it goes pear shaped in the exit row OLCI situation, how long does it take the people at the gate to 'fix' the issue?

Is it grounds for one to stand sheepishly aside and wait until they've finished general boarding or do they just whack a few buttons, twirl a few levers and stomp on the whatsit to make it all ship-shape?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

When OLCI was first introduced domestically at T-24 you couldn't pre-allocate seats at the time of booking like you can now hence the mad rush to get in when OLCI opened to try and snag your preferred seat.

It's always a good idea to do it the day prior if you get the opportunity as it's one less thing you have to do on the day.

You only have to look at the whingefest on airline Facebook pages to realize how many people arrive at the airport too late and miss the checkin cutoff for their flight when they could've done it the day prior but didn't.

 

[timster]

I have always done OLCI, and always with luggage to check so still have to go to the desk (so I never print BP). Just can't see any reason not to do OLCI.

I guess I got in the habit when the best seats were still being made available at T-24. Nowadays QF charges for most of them anyway and they're all gone.

But maybe the flight time has changed and I've not been notified ? Maybe some better seats have opened up ? Maybe they've moved me without asking and I need to ring to fix it and/or prepare for a fight ?

Wasn't one explanation for the disgracefully-handled downgrading of Emily's parents at LAX the fact that they hadn't done OLCI ?

On some airlines that have separate queues for online checked-in pax it has made a huge difference to the wait time when I have had no other status. eg TG in MEL with 100+ pax in the standard queue and literally none in the online checkin queue.

 

[JohnK]

On the other hand, what's the point of not checking in early?
Assuming you have access to do so.

For domestic flights? A better chance of being able to change the booking if delayed and possibly missing flight. Not so easy if you have checked in and offloaded.

on Dom?
I don't think I've ever had a seat issue pre or post OLCI except for the very rare (like maybe 1 or 2 in >200 flights that I can recall) a/c sub

how exactly do you mean "stuffed"? curious

Went from 6D to 5D at ~T-80 hours and then used OLCI to find that I am in 9D and no chance of going further forward. 5D still showing in booking. This has happened twice so I do not use OLCI anymore. No need unless I know I will be running late but I am hardly ever travelling hand luggage only so again useless for me.

 

[Simo]

If the flight is full you are guaranteed a window of aisle seat and not the dreaded middle seat. Sequence 1 it is cool but doesn't matter...

 

[flydoc]

And if flight is moderately full OLCI is a chance to move seats to have and usually keep an empty one adjacent if desired

 

[ozbeachbabe]

You can bypass this if you check-in via the Qantas app, it will allow you to generate your boarding pass for an exit row seat.

I was chatting with one of the (lovely) QF check-in people in BNE last week and she was of the opinion that checking-in via the app (if you have an exit row) will result in errors at the gate BP scan.

I've had this happen and can tell you exactly why.

If you check-in first using the web interface, you will receive the general proceed to counter prompt.
If you check-in first using the Qantas app, you will have no issues receiving your boarding pass or checking in at the gate, but;
If you check-in first using the web interface and then check-in again using the Qantas app, you will receive your boarding pass but create an error at the gate which needs to be manually rectified.

I just checkedin for my flight tomorrow in an exit row.
The checkin system seems to have been changed since my flight last month. Anyways i was issued a boarding pass not the usual "see the desk". So perhaps anyone can now checkin online in an exit row.
Still going to stop by the desk for a real boading pass though

The new A4 web check boarding passes look slightly different from the original ones however but it must be possible to generate either one as people still board with both versions however with exit rows it would only be the newer version that allows you to print as opposed to the previous 'this is not a boarding pass etc etc.'

Assuming it goes pear shaped in the exit row OLCI situation, how long does it take the people at the gate to 'fix' the issue?

Is it grounds for one to stand sheepishly aside and wait until they've finished general boarding or do they just whack a few buttons, twirl a few levers and stomp on the whatsit to make it all ship-shape?

It's just a quick fix as the gate agent deletes the boarding comment (that prevents pax from boarding ie getting the dreaded beep) at which time they get a pop up screen asking if the pax is suitable for the exit row and when they select 'yes' you'll then be able to board. If you have one of the newer style web OCLI A4 boarding passes you shouldn't be on the ineligible to board list (when you get the beep).

I know people have previously done mobile checkin and received the QR code then been able to board without issue but I suspect when there are system updates to a new version of Altea then something goes awry needing the CSA to verify the exit row suitability of the pax so they can board.

 

[ScottM]

I agree with two points:
a) If you are running late to the airport you won't miss check-in cut off times
b) If you have carry-on > 7kg you are less likely to be asked to weigh it (I recently got pinged in Canberra at checkin). That said - you really shouldn't break the rules [legal disclaimer added ]

 

[medhead]

I'd have thought QFF status would have more of a role to play in managing oversold/standby situation than sequence order?

They do, they can play with the people who have a sequence number and those who don't have a sequence number. As I read the other posts, OLCI prevents being offloaded over people who haven't checked in.

I was chatting with one of the (lovely) QF check-in people in BNE last week and she was of the opinion that checking-in via the app (if you have an exit row) will result in errors at the gate BP scan.

Purely app BP, and I've had no problems.

 

[mdurrant]

Hi all,

Flying PER-SYD next Friday night on the 11:55 PM red-eye. I finish working in the city at 5:00 PM. Can I check-in, drop my bags and go to the QF lounge that early? I seem to remember once before I couldn't drop my bag until 3 hours before the fli
ght?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Have spent hours in QFd lounges and QP aka QC, never been asked to move. On or out.
As for early bag drop, never done that, so can't talk about that.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Hi all,

Flying PER-SYD next Friday night on the 11:55 PM red-eye. I finish working in the city at 5:00 PM. Can I check-in, drop my bags and go to the QF lounge that early? I seem to remember once before I couldn't drop my bag until 3 hours before the flight?

I believe PER is 6 hours ahead so no earlier that 1755. Once the kiosks give you a boarding pass and bag tag then you're all set.