L1011 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 1583 posts, RR: 10 Posted (7 years 6 months 1 hour ago) and read 5338 times:
On Sunday, my brother and I were to fly LAS-ATL-RIC. On Saturday morning, I paid to use a computer at the business center at my hotel so I could check in online. This was so that I could get seat assignments for our AirTran flights, and to avoid waiting in the check-in line at the airport. When we got to the airport on Sunday morning, there was one of the longest check-in lines I had ever seen. I told my brother I was glad we had checked in online, because we would only have to drop off our luggage, and we had also checked in our luggage online. We couldn't find a place to drop off our luggage, so I walked up to the business class check-in person and asked her where to drop off our luggage. She said we would have to wait in the coach class check-in line with everyone else. I told her we were already checked in, we just wanted to drop off our luggage. She said it didn't matter, we would still have to wait in that line. It took forever to go through that line just to drop off a suitcase. What then, is the point of online check-in?
For business travelers that have no luggage, they can bypass the check-in counter and head for security (and yes, there are actually busienss travelers in LAS, even though it's a small percentage).
L1011 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 1583 posts, RR: 10 Reply 3, posted (7 years 6 months ago) and read 5302 times:
TWAAF9:
On AirTran's website, it asks how many pieces of luggage is each passenger checking. In Richmond on the outbound trip, it worked perfectly, but not at Las Vegas.
HPRamper From United States of America, joined May 2005, 3661 posts, RR: 8 Reply 4, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 5219 times:
Quoting L1011 (Thread starter): When we got to the airport on Sunday morning, there was one of the longest check-in lines I had ever seen. I told my brother I was glad we had checked in online, because we would only have to drop off our luggage, and we had also checked in our luggage online.
Partly bad luck on the long check in line. Also the online checkin weeds out those people who don't have checked luggage and only have carryon. It is mainly to make the line run quicker - ticket counter agents only have to process the bag tags instead of running you through checkin. Company conveniency disguised as consumer conveniency.
SirOmega From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 735 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 5206 times:
LAS is like that Sunday mornings. In fact, most of Sunday is like that. I'll be in for it this weekend - I fly LAS-MCO this Saturday night..
FlyingHippo From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 642 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 5162 times:
I have a question:
I'm flying LAS-MDW-LGA on ATA. LAS-MDW is by WN. Can I use ATA's website to check in? Or do I have to check in at the WN counter?
AviatorTJ From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 1838 posts, RR: 8 Reply 7, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 5053 times:
Quoting L1011 (Thread starter): On Sunday, my brother and I were to fly LAS-ATL-RIC. On Saturday morning, I paid to use a computer at the business center at my hotel so I could check in online. This was so that I could get seat assignments for our AirTran flights, and to avoid waiting in the check-in line at the airport. When we got to the airport on Sunday morning, there was one of the longest check-in lines I had ever seen. I told my brother I was glad we had checked in online, because we would only have to drop off our luggage, and we had also checked in our luggage online. We couldn't find a place to drop off our luggage, so I walked up to the business class check-in person and asked her where to drop off our luggage. She said we would have to wait in the coach class check-in line with everyone else. I told her we were already checked in, we just wanted to drop off our luggage. She said it didn't matter, we would still have to wait in that line. It took forever to go through that line just to drop off a suitcase. What then, is the point of online check-in?
Forget the check-in lines at LAS, the worst was the circus at the TSA checkpoint on Sunday morning. There was just something about waiting there longer than I had at LAX, DFW, or any other large airport. Filtering four lines down to one was quite a PITA. I'd imagine it is not what most people enjoy after a weekend in Vegas.
Stlgph From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8977 posts, RR: 28 Reply 8, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 5042 times:
RachelBDL From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 72 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 5036 times:
Quoting FlyingHippo (Reply 6): I'm flying LAS-MDW-LGA on ATA. LAS-MDW is by WN. Can I use ATA's website to check in? Or do I have to check in at the WN counter?
I believe the way it works for codeshare itineraries, check in online with the first airline you will be flying, they should direct you to the page to check in for the second.
I not only drink the KoolAid, I do the Jello shots too!
N1120A From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 25852 posts, RR: 79 Reply 10, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 5004 times:
Quoting AviatorTJ (Reply 7): There was just something about waiting there longer than I had at LAX, DFW, or any other large airport.
LAS is one of the largest airports in the country, so I am not sure what you are comparing it to
Mangeons les French fries, mais surtout pratiquons avec fierte le French kiss
Crownvic From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 1593 posts, RR: 6 Reply 11, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 4976 times:
Siromega From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 735 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 4964 times:
Quoting N1120A (Reply 10):
LAS is one of the largest airports in the country, so I am not sure what you are comparing it to
Indeed, 41M pax in '04 (probably up to 44M this yr - 7% annual increase). Very high O&D traffic - 92% of that traffic is O&D (almost 40M this year).
Ansett767 From Australia, joined May 1999, 1021 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 4944 times:
Yeah online checkin is Great if youre using the fast bag drop. i.e. not having to stand in line and just sropping bags off on the side and going straight to the gate!
I did this with BA. Its also great using the self check in kiosks and then dropping baggage off in same manner e.g. BMI, BA, QF etc..
Also as people have said you can at least know oyu have your seat selected too!
Amhilde From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 643 posts, RR: 5 Reply 15, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 4825 times:
Checking in at the WN counter in LAS isnt all that bad- they seem to be able to shuttle people through very fast with a full complement of check-in staff and someone to help direct people to the next available agent. HP on the other hand is a NIGHTMARE, and ive seen the CO line out the door. FlyingHippo- why not just deal with the line at LAS and check your luggage through all the way from there? Honest, itll take 5 mins in the WN line.
LAS security is really bad- I dont know what it is about it, but AviatorTJ has a finger on it. Maybe its because of where security is jammed into- that small space between the balcony overlooking the bag claim and the shuttle trains, or the color of the carpeting and the interior decor ( waaaaayyy too much going on there) that makes you feel like you are still in a casino and not an airport. That or the heaving masses of humanity and the terminally clueless TSA people working LAS- and the equally terminally clueless post-vacation crowds. Your brain should not be something that "stays in Vegas"- too many people seem to forget that.
TPAnx From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 1021 posts, RR: 1 Reply 16, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 4780 times:
Agree with the comments on WN checkin at LAS..very fast and efficient. TSA lines were a joke...long, it was hot, lots of clueless people in line. Question for
Flyinghippo--are you without luggage on your return trip? 'Cause WN doesn't
transfer bags..
TPAnx
AviatorTJ From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 1838 posts, RR: 8 Reply 17, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 4695 times:
Quoting N1120A (Reply 10): LAS is one of the largest airports in the country, so I am not sure what you are comparing it to
N1120A, I was comparing the security lines at LAS to any airport that has more than one entrance into the concourse. Apparently I'm not the only one who has experienced the Sunday Morning Circus starring the TSA. The way the line was directed was just a joke. Although, I have nearly purged the experience from my memory, so I won't open those old wounds any further. Also note, I was flying MG, so my friends on UA and WN did not get the total experience.
IRelayer From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 1070 posts, RR: 2 Reply 18, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 4670 times:
Quoting HPRamper (Reply 4): Company conveniency disguised as consumer conveniency.
The word is "convinience" and I think you have it wrong here. Online checkin makes it convinient for the customer in two ways: 1) less people at the checkin counters means those that absolutely need to talk to someone or check baggage can do it faster and 2) the whole process of stand-by passengers becomes easier simply because the gate agents have a better picture of what to expect by receiving checkin information sooner rather than later. Of course it is convinient for the airline too, but it is not "disguising" anything, it is mutally beneficial to both parties. Online checkin is a godsend for which I am doubly grateful, especially at peak times.
Sean-SAN- From United States of America, joined Aug 2002, 752 posts, RR: 1 Reply 19, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 4629 times:
On the flipside, the long security lines often work well for me when I nonrev (HP), especially to places on the west coast. People from LA for the weekend think they'll wake up at 12pm hungover, get to the airport, checkin, and go through security within enough time to make their 130pm flight... Needless to say they don't. I've seen flights overbooked 210/180 and still go out with empty seats on sundays.
Lastordu From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 367 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 4596 times:
I've lived in Vegas my hole life. I have flown in and out of LAS many times. The trick is to get there as much as I hate to say you have to get there early (5:30 to 7:30ish) or late (10:00 to 12:00). You also have to rember that Vegas is all people having fun, so they don't fly that much so they don't know what to do. And every TSA agent is dumber than any thing in the world so that dosen't help. Plus every airline but South West and American West use the D gates. As for there being no room they are fixing that. All that construction that they are do right by the TSA will fix that when they get done. Hope this helps.
Nick
"Remember, Remember the 5th of November" from V for Vendetta
ATCRick From United States of America, joined Jun 2004, 770 posts, RR: 14 Reply 22, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 4546 times:
L1011,
Fly Allegiant, We beam you and your luggage directly on to the aircraft.
Siromega From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 735 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 4519 times:
They have opened more security machines at the A/B gates (back in June) so if you fly HP/US you should move a little easier.
Cgagn From Canada, joined Sep 2003, 345 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (7 years 5 months 4 weeks 22 hours ago) and read 4489 times:
I just flew out of LAS this past sunday night. We returned our rental car at 10pm, and caught the Dollar Rental Car bus up to the terminal, that part was quick and efficient. We were met by a check-in line that was out the door and onto the sidewalk. After being initially terrified that we would be in line for hours, I found out that the line up was for America West. We entered the terminal and checked in at Northwest, where there was no line up at all. The line up at security for the D gates was long, but nothing worse than some other major airports I'd flown out of. As a first time traveller out of LAS, I noticed 2 things worth mentioning. The point of the guy who checked my passport and ticket, and seemed to be reading my ticket in detail and took about 20 seconds before finally giving my documents back is totally beyond me. All he's doing is slowing up the line, and why doesn't he quickly match the name on my passport to the name on my ticket and send me through. Second, the security line I choose after passing this guy was dreadfully short on little baskets to put belongings in to go through the x-ray. They must have had 5 baskets, so we slowly went through as the baskets were re-used. I just emptied my pockets and put my jacket into my carry on to get through security. People not removing change, laptops, and such were slowing the line down. As mentioned above, LAS is mostly tourist traffic, and are likely people who don't fly as much and aren't used to the "check in" procedure. A few extra staff at security to make sure people are ready when they reach the x-ray would speed things up, and of course, having enough baskets couldn't hurt. All said, I had a great time in Vegas and a good experience at LAS...and a wonderful flight on the NW 757-300!! Cheers.
C-GAGN
Widebodies flown on: A330-300,A340-300,A380-800,747-400,767-200ER,767-300ER,777-200A,777-200ER,777-200LR,777-300ER
25 Iowaman: lol... that may be but you guys really need some more check-in counter space.. the lines were pretty long last time I flew out of there.
26 Lincoln: I would bet that the [mid-week] business traveller %age is very high... Vegas is a big convention town (In the past year I've been there for NAB (The
27 IRelayer: Learn to play poker and bet on sports. All of the other games are for suckers. -IR
28 HPLASOps: I think I set the FAA record (unconfirmed) for fastest door of airport to door of aircraft time - 9 minutes. I mistimed the city buses in SAN and arri
29 Amhilde: Shhhhh.. People figure that out I may have to pay income tax!
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