Espion007 From Denmark, joined Dec 2003, 1691 posts, RR: 0 Posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 18 hours ago) and read 1194 times:
hey,im going to chicago on memorial day by united(might be my first 737 flight),but this is the first time we are using an electronic ticket.I have absolutley no idea how they work,or what to do at the gate.Can someone elighten me on this?
Dinker225 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 1049 posts, RR: 20 Reply 1, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 18 hours ago) and read 1164 times:
You basically show up at the check in counter. Tell them your first and last name and you destination. Thats about it. They take you checked luggage and give you a boarding pass. You then proceed to the gate and board the plane. Its quite simple.
Dinker
Two rules in aviation, don't hit anything and don't run out of gas, cause if you run out of gas yer gonna hit something.
PA110 From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 1952 posts, RR: 26 Reply 3, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 18 hours ago) and read 1137 times:
When the ticket is issued electronically, a copy of all the relevant ticket details are transmitted to the airline's reservations and/or DCS computer.
One of several major advantages to e-ticketing (other than not having to worry about losing your ticket) is that you can often bypass the huge lines at checkin, by using the automated kiosks. United calls theirs Easy checkin. You just put a credit card in the machine, so it can read your name, and type in your destination. The machine will find your booking, and then guide you through checkin, eventually spitting out a boarding pass. If you are traveling with bags, you can either check them curbside, or in many airports UA has automated kiosks at a special section of the main counters, where staff will take and tag your bags.
Its a brilliant system. I just wish all airlines were up to speed and could interline equally. Some have been faster than others in adapting to the new technology.
Alexchao From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 686 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 18 hours ago) and read 1130 times:
You can use easyCheck-in (the self-service check-in kiosks) by inserting your credit card (identification purposes) and clicking "Next" a couple times.
PA110 From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 1952 posts, RR: 26 Reply 7, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 17 hours ago) and read 1087 times:
Oh give me a break! Do you really want to try turning back the clock and ignoring tangible benefits in technology?
Other than handling abnormal situations or residual paper tickets, checkin agents are nothing more than an expensive smiling face. I know. I used to be one.
There will always be a need for a certain amount of checkin agents... especially to handle paper tickets, unusual situations or requests, special cases, and clients not comfortable with technology. But if advances in technology make current staffing levels unnecessary, it is only prudent to reduce staffing levels to maintain some attempt at profitability. Airlines should not be mistaken for the civil service.
Mrniji From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 1051 times:
Other than handling abnormal situations or residual paper tickets, checkin agents are nothing more than an expensive smiling face.
No, they are people who earn money in order to live
But if advances in technology make current staffing levels unnecessary, it is only prudent to reduce staffing levels to maintain some attempt at profitability. Airlines should not be mistaken for the civil service.
I thought the private sector is considered to be the growth and job machine...
Delta-flyer From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 2676 posts, RR: 7 Reply 9, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 14 hours ago) and read 966 times:
I thought the private sector is considered to be the growth and job machine...
It is. And the jobs lost to technology are soon replaced by more, but different jobs. If technology were the culprit you claim it is, no one would be working anymore, as jobs would have been continually lost since the start of the industrial revolution.
Sevenair From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2001, 1728 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 6 hours ago) and read 904 times:
e-tkts are great, almost all short haul flights from the UK use this now, you can either show your confirmation number, (or type it in the self serve machine) and then you're on your way. Now theres no need toworry about loosing your tkts-just write the number on your hand, or store it in your phone!
JfkYYZ From Canada, joined May 2004, 109 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (9 years 1 month 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 818 times:
Actually when they started introducing e-tickets I was really wary. I mean buy the ticket, print out the itinerary, get a confirmation number then show up at the airport with your photo id and thats it. I was freaked when this is all I needed so I called AC just to make sure. But now, its soo much more easier. A lot of our pax are suprised they didn't really need to have printed out their itineraries and go through so much trouble to get it. heh
Bicoastal From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 14, posted (9 years 1 month 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 703 times:
Espion007....your profile shows that you are young and likely don't travel as much as many of us. Yes, BWI has lines at 5:00 a.m. BWI is one of the regular three airports I use. That's the time for check in for all of the airlines' first flights out in the morning to hundreds of destinations. The early flights are usually cheaper, thus creating a crowd. Also, business travelers and others like myself simply like to get going early in the morning. United's Easy Check-In kiosks are a wonderful convenience.
As for your ID, if not sooner, the TSA will check it and your boarding pass before you go through security.
Asqx From United States of America, joined Jun 1999, 591 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (9 years 1 month 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 682 times:
As a CSA for an airline, I don't find self check in kiosks or online check in to be a threat to my job in any way. Other than changing my job to "kiosk" assistant or simply being a "bag checker" there's no threat to my being employed.
While the ability to check one's self in at home or at a kiosk is great as it creates more options for the passengers (the people airlines try and keep happy), in the case of self check in kiosks they often create just as many confused or upset customers as they make happy. While frequent travelers often get used to and become quite adept at using them, for people that only fly once or twice a year or who are not familiar with the technology (and not just the elderly or very young) can become quite confused when using them. Its also quite difficult for some people to use them, such as blind people (I for one have never seen a brail touch screen). And then there are those pesky people that simply want to talk to a real person and not some impersonal machine.
The problem that I have with self check in systems is when airlines force passengers to use them. More than once I have seen passengers get upset when they got to the airport and found out they had to spend 10 minutes trying to get their boarding pass out of a machine they couldn't get to work with no one from the airline there to help them. In many cases airlines have underestimated the number of agents they need to "assist" passengers in using the machines which they are forcing passengers to use. I also find it ammusing when passengers have to wait in one line to check themselves in at a kiosk only to have to enter another line to get an agent to call a wheelchair for them if they need help getting to the gate. Providing the option of using a self check in or seeing an agent was a great addition to the sagging customer service from most airlines. Forcing people to use them and/or limiting agent check in to only first/business or high level freqent flier members just helped to lower the service levels at most airlines. At least, that's what it did in my opinion.
Sponsor Message: 
From Denmark, joined Dec 2003, 1691 posts, 
From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 1049 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2001, 1728 posts, 
From Canada, joined May 2004, 109 posts, 
From Spain, joined Mar 2004, 871 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
