Check-in agent wrote "Z" fare basis code on boarding pass

I flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class SFO to LHR (VS 42) a few days ago. I've flown it a few times before, but this time after I boarded I noticed that the check-in agent had written a large "Z" (in quotes) on the boarding pass itself.

I recogize that this probably represents the fare basis of my ticket: Z is the most discounted business class fare code. But does anyone know why they would notate it on the boarding pass itself?

Hi and welcome.

This was discussed recently - seems to be a historic thing that has persisted at some US outstations.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=293398

Also... why do check-in agents insist on circling almost every piece of info on the boarding pass?

and in this particular instance, what was the point of circling E-Ticket?

Huh, weird. Not noticed that myself either in the past in truth.

No benefit to doing so with VS as anyone that needs to know that info will be told it by the computer.

Perhaps it is a lounge thing in a roundabout way.. Not all fare classes come with lounge access in the J and F classes with the US carriers. Perhaps this is the by-product of employees working two jobs and just going through the motions in which they have been trained.

Also... why do check-in agents insist on circling almost every piece of info on the boarding pass?

and in this particular instance, what was the point of circling E-Ticket?

To draw attention to what they consider 'pertinent facts'... yes the whole ticket contains important information.. we get it

That's probably the CBP officer circling by the way, (check in guys and dolls occasionally circle the gate number) but the rest of the 'artwork' is also their proof that CBP have checked it.

maybe if they oversold & like the look of you, not to upgrade you as your on Z... or if they dont like the look on you to bump you to economy

Along similar lines, I swear I've never had a clearly-printed boarding pass any time ex-USA, they always seem to be running out of ink and hardly scan properly at the gates!

I've just checked our most recent boarding passes out of Orlando.
On one pass important stuff like gate and boarding time has been circled so I guess check in did that for our benefit while pointing them out to us.
Then other stuff on both passes has been ticked like names, flight, airline so I'm guessing that's someone showing they have checked it.

Dick D

Never had my UC fare code written on the boarding pass - but without fail, the check-in agent always puts it on the lounge invite for the Sky Club in Orlando.

Always get the circles round the gate number / boarding time / seat number etc at check-in. The TSA used to use a highlighter to go over all the info they checked on the boarding pass, but they seem to have stopped that now. They now check the boarding pass then stamp it with a stamp that has a code number on - presumably an ID code for the officer that did the check.