Online check-in

[Prudie]

If this is an option rather then a requirement what's the advantage when you get to the airport - surely you still have to join the check-in queue or not??

[dave50]

You can only check in online if you have no luggage to check in.

[237SJ]

Depends on the airline but if you have luggage and have checked in online, you only have to go to the bag drop desk (which is still quicker than queueing behind lots of people at the check in desk). I believe (don`t know if it`s a trial or has come in fully) that you can now print out a bag tag at the airport, and tag your bag yourself.

[Prudie]

Thanks dave, that is obvious come to think about it but I can't see that mentioned on my confirmation where I'm being given the option - and as it's a flight abroad it's highly unlikely there'd be no luggage?

[Prudie]

oh yes thanks 237, the bag-drop desk - those I have noticed.

[pretty_snowdrop]

That's incorrect dave50. You can check in online if you have luggage. You check in on line and print off your boarding pass then take your luggage to the desk. If you don't check in online you will have to get a boarding pass from the check in desk and they don't come cheap.

[Buenchico]

>>>and as it's a flight abroad it's highly unlikely there'd be no luggage

Incorrect. The cast majority of travellers on budget airlines take only cabin baggage, specifically in order to avoid charges for hold baggage. Many of Ryanair's flights from Stansted to Dublin don't have a single bag in the hold; on other routes over 80% of Ryanair passengers travel without hold baggage.

Online check-in is an option with some airlines but others (e.g. Ryanair) make it compulsory. If you've no hold baggage you go straight to the security queues; otherwise you use the bag drop points first.

Chris

[Duncer]

I wouldn't be without on-line check in as it speeds things up immensely.

[Prudie]

OK Chris if I was going abroad I would avoid a budget airline if I could. Dublin I can believe but I can't believe Ryanair passengers going to Spain on holiday for example could manage without hold bags. It's Flybe anyway which by price alone can't be classed as a budget airline.

[puzzled54]

I used online check in with BA. They give you the option of paying to choose your seat, or to wait till 24hrs before the flight and use the online check-in, where you get the choice of the seats that are left (at no extra charge). I then used the bag drop at the airport.
If you wait till you get to the airport to check-in, I presume that there won't be many seats left and if you are travelling with someone else, you may not get seats together.

[Buenchico]

>>>It's Flybe anyway which by price alone can't be classed as a budget airline

Flybe is currently offering seats from Southampton to Nantes for £29.99 and from Manchester to Paris CDG for £37.49, which is fully in line with 'budget airline' prices. (Full fare airlines would charge a minimum of £200 each way on those routes, if they actually flew on them). Flybe is in exactly the same group of airlines, as defined by the travel press, as Ryanair, easyJet et al.

Full information on Flybe's check in procedures can be found on their website:
http://www.flybe.com/...lightInfo/checkin.htm

[Prudie]

Hello Chris! I book domestic flights with Flybe nearly every week for work. A return ticket to Edinburgh from Soton is usually about £175. I'm going to Alicante from Soton and paid £256 return at least 6 months ago. Flybe may have the odd offer but they are not anywhere near on a par with easyjet and Ryanair and I do know what I'm talking about from experience.