Comments on: Is it too easy to check in for flights? http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/is-it-too-easy-to-check-in-for-flights/ The last honest travel site Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:23:12 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Tweets that mention Is it too easy to check in for flights? -- Topsy.com http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/is-it-too-easy-to-check-in-for-flights/comment-page-1/#comment-17229 Tweets that mention Is it too easy to check in for flights? -- Topsy.com Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:09:06 +0000 http://www.consumertraveler.com/?p=21173#comment-17229 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Travel_Tweet. Travel_Tweet said: Is it too easy to check in for flights?: It happened this morning, it happens at least once a week. An administ.. http://bit.ly/26WSJE [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Travel_Tweet. Travel_Tweet said: Is it too easy to check in for flights?: It happened this morning, it happens at least once a week. An administ.. http://bit.ly/26WSJE [...]

]]> By: Carrie Charney http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/is-it-too-easy-to-check-in-for-flights/comment-page-1/#comment-17227 Carrie Charney Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:54:09 +0000 http://www.consumertraveler.com/?p=21173#comment-17227 My airline gives me the choice to have automatic check-in on the return flight, once I have checked in online for the outbound. All I have to do is print the boarding pass at an airport kiosk or on any printer. The gate agents rely on TSA to look at my ID photo and make sure I should be flying. My airline gives me the choice to have automatic check-in on the return flight, once I have checked in online for the outbound. All I have to do is print the boarding pass at an airport kiosk or on any printer. The gate agents rely on TSA to look at my ID photo and make sure I should be flying.

]]> By: Al in So CA http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/is-it-too-easy-to-check-in-for-flights/comment-page-1/#comment-17216 Al in So CA Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:13:17 +0000 http://www.consumertraveler.com/?p=21173#comment-17216 You state a very valid and timely question, Janice. As a travel professional, I am all in favor of procedures that improve the travel experience and speed up checkin. But the easy online checkin procedure you mention is not the only thing we should be worried about. Even the TSA airport screening process leaves openings for those who wish to hide their whereabouts or do the traveling public harm. I know of at least one airport where IDs are not required to be shown to or checked by gate agents when passengers board planes for domestic flights. In these locations, there is nothing--other than a suspicious gate agent--to stop a traveler from passing through the security checkpoint with a boarding pass (printed online or at the airport), switching their boarding pass with another individual within the terminal, and disappearing "off the radar." As in your article above where you mention "for a very difficult or busy person, they might check a traveler in on two different flights, booked separately with different airlines", a traveler with intent to deceive could theoretically have multiple boarding passes and flights to choose from. How many times have we heard announcements like this: "your ID will not be needed for boarding. Just have your boarding card available"... etc? I know gate agents and other airline employees are overworked and I wish I could make their jobs less stressful, but the airlines need to wake up and realize that they are not doing the traveling public or their employees a favor by making checkin easier. The war against terrorism is like a chess match, but one side is playing without rules. By eliminating many of the checks and cross-checks that are required for safe air travel, the airlines are essentially taking our pawns and defensive pieces out of play without the other side having to do a thing. You state a very valid and timely question, Janice. As a travel professional, I am all in favor of procedures that improve the travel experience and speed up checkin. But the easy online checkin procedure you mention is not the only thing we should be worried about. Even the TSA airport screening process leaves openings for those who wish to hide their whereabouts or do the traveling public harm. I know of at least one airport where IDs are not required to be shown to or checked by gate agents when passengers board planes for domestic flights. In these locations, there is nothing–other than a suspicious gate agent–to stop a traveler from passing through the security checkpoint with a boarding pass (printed online or at the airport), switching their boarding pass with another individual within the terminal, and disappearing “off the radar.” As in your article above where you mention “for a very difficult or busy person, they might check a traveler in on two different flights, booked separately with different airlines”, a traveler with intent to deceive could theoretically have multiple boarding passes and flights to choose from. How many times have we heard announcements like this: “your ID will not be needed for boarding. Just have your boarding card available”… etc? I know gate agents and other airline employees are overworked and I wish I could make their jobs less stressful, but the airlines need to wake up and realize that they are not doing the traveling public or their employees a favor by making checkin easier. The war against terrorism is like a chess match, but one side is playing without rules. By eliminating many of the checks and cross-checks that are required for safe air travel, the airlines are essentially taking our pawns and defensive pieces out of play without the other side having to do a thing.

]]> By: Robert http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/is-it-too-easy-to-check-in-for-flights/comment-page-1/#comment-17211 Robert Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:39:06 +0000 http://www.consumertraveler.com/?p=21173#comment-17211 Most airlines allow on-line check in 24 hours in advance. When someone checks in early, and then they need to change their flight it is sometimes nearly impossible. What hapens if the admin checks someone in by mistake? It can't be undone on line and it can't be undone easily even by an airline. Think of the security ramifications if you can "uncheck in" on a flight - someone checks in, gets a boarding pass, "unchecks in", but they have their boarding pass. This gets them access to boarding gates without actually being a passenger on a plane. My recommendation for many business travelers is to wait to check in at the airport (especially if they are checking baggage) or to at least wait until they are ready to leave for the airport. Most airlines allow on-line check in 24 hours in advance. When someone checks in early, and then they need to change their flight it is sometimes nearly impossible. What hapens if the admin checks someone in by mistake? It can’t be undone on line and it can’t be undone easily even by an airline. Think of the security ramifications if you can “uncheck in” on a flight – someone checks in, gets a boarding pass, “unchecks in”, but they have their boarding pass. This gets them access to boarding gates without actually being a passenger on a plane.

My recommendation for many business travelers is to wait to check in at the airport (especially if they are checking baggage) or to at least wait until they are ready to leave for the airport.

]]> By: baasbaas http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/is-it-too-easy-to-check-in-for-flights/comment-page-1/#comment-17209 baasbaas Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:18:08 +0000 http://www.consumertraveler.com/?p=21173#comment-17209 At JAX before getting to the "Put your bag on the belt, take your shoes off, etc", the TSA here checks a photo ID with the boarding pass. I rather think this is true throughout! At JAX before getting to the “Put your bag on the belt, take your shoes off, etc”, the TSA here checks a photo ID with the boarding pass. I rather think this is true throughout!

]]> By: Ed F London http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/is-it-too-easy-to-check-in-for-flights/comment-page-1/#comment-17206 Ed F London Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:38:33 +0000 http://www.consumertraveler.com/?p=21173#comment-17206 Easy Cowboy. No need to raise yet another alarm for the fidgety public, more than is already out there. One still needs photo ID to go through airport security, and they, TSA, seem to be more thorough in recent days than a year ago. I see no problem here. If I'm traveling with friends on one itinerary, I check them in (at least on BA out of London) so what's the difference, technically? Easy Cowboy. No need to raise yet another alarm for the fidgety public, more than is already out there. One still needs photo ID to go through airport security, and they, TSA, seem to be more thorough in recent days than a year ago. I see no problem here.

If I’m traveling with friends on one itinerary, I check them in (at least on BA out of London) so what’s the difference, technically?

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