Whats the point of online checkin for a flight?

[ghworker2010]

We have booked flights on airasia. We will all have bags to checkin on the day of departure. Thus, is there no point in doing the online checkin? What is the advantage or the actual purpose of online checkin when I know Im going to have to line up anyway. We pre-booked and paid for 'hot seats'. Thus I dont understand the purpose of online checkin.

thanks

[Briggsy]

You may save a tiny bit of time at the airport. There is often a separate queue for "bag drop" as opposed to "check-in". You can also pick your seat before everybody else.

However, I take your point, it makes little difference.

[ghworker2010]

You may save a tiny bit of time at the airport. There is often a separate queue for "bag drop" as opposed to "check-in". You can also pick your seat before everybody else.

However, I take your point, it makes little difference.

are you saying that if we have already picked our seat then we can proceed direct to the bag drop line instead of the checkin line- if we do prior online checkin?

[Bunnychow]

You may save a tiny bit of time at the airport. There is often a separate queue for "bag drop" as opposed to "check-in". You can also pick your seat before everybody else.

However, I take your point, it makes little difference.

are you saying that if we have already picked our seat then we can proceed direct to the bag drop line instead of the checkin line- if we do prior online checkin?

Yes.,dump your bag and go, on line check in works best if you only have carry on bags Edited June 23, 2016 by Bunnychow

[lostinisaan]

You may save a tiny bit of time at the airport. There is often a separate queue for "bag drop" as opposed to "check-in". You can also pick your seat before everybody else.

However, I take your point, it makes little difference.

are you saying that if we have already picked our seat then we can proceed direct to the bag drop line instead of the checkin line- if we do prior online checkin?

If you now that you'll have to fly to XXX in two months, you'll always find very cheap lights. Forget the hot seat bs, just take an ordinary seat. ( You can choose where you want to sit)

What really surprised me was the payment last time I used their service. I had changed the phone number on my Aiur Asia account and couldn't use my credit card.

Then looking for an alternative I found out that you can also pay at any 7 Eleven. 30 baht there and 195 baht when using my credit card?

Shouldn't it be the way around? May your plane will always stay on the radar.....

[keeniau96]

Last time I was at Suvranabhumi wnated to do bag drop but the line for that was longer than the checkin line.

[kmj]

Last time I was at Suvranabhumi wnated to do bag drop but the line for that was longer than the checkin line.

You can still just do a bag drop at check in.

[Ireland32]

Last time I was at Suvranabhumi wnated to do bag drop but the line for that was longer than the checkin line.

I've never seen that, what airline, curious , Chinese?

[tartempion]

Did OLCI a few days ago for a Thai Lion Air flight with luggage.

The only positive was I selected our seats.

There was no bag drop counter to see at Don Mueang, had to queue and boarding cards were re-printed, fairly useless.

[Razzler1973]

Online check in means you can print your boarding pass. If you only have hand luggage you can turn up proceed straight to the gate. If with baggage then just drop the bag off rather than go through the whole check in procedure at the airport itself

You may think there's not much advantage but it's free to check in online, save any time it's a benefit

Can't remember the last time I didn't check in online for a flight

[2fishin2]

Did OLCI a few days ago for a Thai Lion Air flight with luggage.

The only positive was I selected our seats.

There was no bag drop counter to see at Don Mueang, had to queue and boarding cards were re-printed, fairly useless.

You werent looking at the right isle. I also flew Lion Air out of DM couple weeks back. Did online checkin, printed boarding pass,dropped bags off in out of check in 10 minutes.

Great thing this on line check in, select seats and print boarding pass. Heck with the right app, you dont have to print anything, just show your phone.

Technology is a wonderful thing now a days.

[orpheus454]

You may save a tiny bit of time at the airport. There is often a separate queue for "bag drop" as opposed to "check-in". You can also pick your seat before everybody else.

However, I take your point, it makes little difference.

are you saying that if we have already picked our seat then we can proceed direct to the bag drop line instead of the checkin line- if we do prior online checkin?

Gee, you're getting really good at this now.

Go to the top of the class!

[Ricardo]

I sometimes use online checkin, when flying with hand-luggage (a day-pack & a computer-bag) on Air Asia, printing out my boarding-pass therefore means I can clear security and wait at the gate without joining the long queues to check-in in the Departure hall, saves time and stress.

The first contact with the airline-staff is when I show my boarding-pass, as the flight is boarding, I find they're far less likely to want to weigh my bags at that point, when they're focused on getting the flight loaded & away, which is definitely also an advantage !

Edited June 24, 2016 by Ricardo

[manfredtillmann]

flying NOK with hand luggage only, check in on - line and present your boarding pass displayed on your smart phone. no printing required.

seats are selected during the original booking procedure.

[gandalf12]

Online check-in is most useful if you only have hand baggage. Otherwise the time saving is minimal

[arithai12]

Now everyone can fly.

[TEFLKrabi]

Have noticed at Don Mueng that they require a paper boarding pass and showing on your mobile doesn't work.

[2fishin2]

Have noticed at Don Mueng that they require a paper boarding pass and showing on your mobile doesn't work.

Not true. On my last flight I watched several people use phones. I didnt because I didnt have mine at the time. Air Asia has the best app.

[Monkeyrobot]

It's good if your on overstay and want to bypass the check in counter and go straight to immigration , that's if you flying international. Other then that if you have bags to check in then it's no real benefit. Only good for people with carry on only. Have a nice trip.

[2fishin2]

It's good if your on overstay and want to bypass the check in counter and go straight to immigration , that's if you flying international. Other then that if you have bags to check in then it's no real benefit. Only good for people with carry on only. Have a nice trip.

Not true at all. You chose your seat early and would you rather stand in a 15 minute line or hour line?

[Pdavies99]

Air Asia online check in works fine.

You can walk straight through at the airport, you can just hand in any checked baggage and thats it!

If you check in at the airport you will have to pay for this extra service and also wait to be checked in etc.

[Bangkok Barry]

So many people check in on-line these days that often the line to drop off bags is longer than the regular check in line. The only advantage is choosing a seat, but many airlines charge extra for that. BA charges a massive 1500 baht for it.

[lagavulin1]

One other advantage of checkin on line is you don't get bumped if your flight is overbooked ☺

[Homburg]

A good friend of mine was booked on TG. He was stuck on a train which was delayed for 2 hours. Whilst sitting on the train he checked-in online. He finally arrived at the airport around 10 minutes after check-in had closed, but because he'd checked-in online, TG allowed him to drop his bags after the deadline & not miss his flight. It certainly helped him. Not saying that would work with AA though.

[ALFREDO]

A good friend of mine was booked on TG. He was stuck on a train which was delayed for 2 hours. Whilst sitting on the train he checked-in online. He finally arrived at the airport around 10 minutes after check-in had closed, but because he'd checked-in online, TG allowed him to drop his bags after the deadline & not miss his flight. It certainly helped him. Not saying that would work with AA though.

Right!

My second name "Mr Last Minute" always.

So, I win about 20 minutes, can come about 20 min later, after check in is closed already, directly to the boarding - Domestic flights in Thailand with only carry on bag that is

and on small Provincial Airports..

Also, I choose my seat when check in, before most others.

[rapom]

The only real benefit of online check-in is that by doing so, you are notifying the airline that you intend to board the flight. This reduces the possibility that your seat will be reassigned, if for some reason you arrive late. Southwest Airlines does not assign seats and you cannot check-in more than 24 hours before your flight time. The earlier you check-in gives you a higher queue number in line. Most airlines assign seats or honor seat requests, at the time tickets are sold. On websites such as Expedia, they can request the seat you want, but advise you to check wth the airline for confirmation. I always confirm my seat with the Los Angeles office of China Southern Airlines for my LAX to BKK flights. I always arrive at LAX early for my flight and am usually one of the first to have my passport checked and boarding pass issued. This has paid off, because one flight from LAX they issued me a boarding pass with a different seat number, saying my seat was not available. I had purchased my ticket 6 months prior and showed the agent my seat confirmation email. After refusing this seat and again requesting my original seat that I had booked, she finally relented. My seat was an aisle seat in a four seat row. When I boarded the flight and took my seat, a party of 4 asians boarded later taking the other 3 seats and wanted me to trade for the fourth persons center seat 6 rows back. I offered to sell them my seat, but my offer was rejected. Another example is, a few months ago,a couple and their 15 year old daughter, vacationed in Europe. When they were to return home, the mother confirmed their connecting flights twice, once online and a few days later, by speaking to an airline agent on the telephone. Their flight to Paris was uneventful, but for the Paris to New York flight, the second airline had no confirmation for the daughter. The only available seat was in first class and was over $14,000 for late booking. The only brightside was once they returned home they were, with the help of a consumer group, refunded the ticket price and given an additional $1,000 travel voucher.

[rapom]

-deleted a double post-

Edited June 24, 2016 by rapom

[SantiSuk]

Only charges if you select a seat before the 24 hour window for online check - in opens. At least that's how it works.

I am pleased with their seat charging approach as ( I assume) it makes the fare cheaper for people like me. I don't want to say more - I'm quite happy to let the myth that BA are cr@p continue on ThaiV for obvious reasons☺

[SantiSuk]

My post was referring to the post about BA charging for seats. Thought I had linked to the quote but mobile has limited functionality to correct/edit

[lvr181]

Last time I was at Suvranabhumi wnated to do bag drop but the line for that was longer than the checkin line.

Online check in gave you a choice then!