UC Wing check in question

Here's a puzzle for you.

Scenario:

I arrive in Tristar car through at the VS drive in check in at T3. My travelling companion is meeting me at the airport under their own steam. We are on the same PNR. How will this work (if at all)?

As I remember it, the downstairs check in has to go through a mini boarding card check prior to being allowed up to the lift to the private security channel where the drive in pax arrive.

Cheers, Howard

[Darren Wheeler]

I guess, someone can come and get your guest from the main check-in area. As long as they have a copy of the booking confirmation, it's do-able.

[Darren Wheeler]

The other option is, use the CDC to pick them up on the A4 somewhere so they get the full DTCI experience.

There is no boarding card check prior to using the lift to the right of the UC check-in area. In theory, anyone could use this lift if the VS staff 'guarding' the entrance area to the UC check-in area are busy, or non-existant.

When you get out of the lift, you need to use the barcode on your boarding pass to open the door into the private security channel. I've no idea if the bardoce on an OLCI boarding pass will open this door - but in theory it should. When I used UC check-in at LHR last year, there were about 6 of us in the lift to the right of check-in, only I scanned my BP to open the door to the private security channel - the others just followed behind me.

James

quote:Originally posted by Kraken
There is no boarding card check prior to using the lift to the right of the UC check-in area. In theory, anyone could use this lift if the VS staff 'guarding' the entrance area to the UC check-in area are busy, or non-existant.

When you get out of the lift, you need to use the barcode on your boarding pass to open the door into the private security channel. I've no idea if the bardoce on an OLCI boarding pass will open this door - but in theory it should. When I used UC check-in at LHR last year, there were about 6 of us in the lift to the right of check-in, only I scanned my BP to open the door to the private security channel - the others just followed behind me.


Hmm, I guess in that case equally I could just go down in the lift and collect them - I assume thatlift functions the same as it did before the UC wing was installed. I am travelling with two others who've never travelled long haul pointy end, let alone on VS UC before. Let the bar brace itself.

H

[Neil]

Why can they not just check in downstairs and then use their own boarding pass to meet you upstairs? It shouldn't make any difference that you are all on the same booking, all they will ask for is their name and passport, and then they can either meet you in the DTCI area or in the CH.

Neil

quote:Originally posted by Neil
Why can they not just check in downstairs and then use their own boarding pass to meet you upstairs? It shouldn't make any difference that you are all on the same booking, all they will ask for is their name and passport, and then they can either meet you in the DTCI area or in the CH.


I could be wrong but I assumed that pax on the same PNR have to check in together?

H

quote:Originally posted by Howard Long
quote:Originally posted by Neil
Why can they not just check in downstairs and then use their own boarding pass to meet you upstairs? It shouldn't make any difference that you are all on the same booking, all they will ask for is their name and passport, and then they can either meet you in the DTCI area or in the CH.


I could be wrong but I assumed that pax on the same PNR have to check in together?

H




Not sure about Virgin but certainly not the case with BA as I frequently meet my family in the CR (them travelling from up Norf and me from Town) and we are all on the same PNR.

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by Howard Long
quote:Originally posted by Neil
Why can they not just check in downstairs and then use their own boarding pass to meet you upstairs? It shouldn't make any difference that you are all on the same booking, all they will ask for is their name and passport, and then they can either meet you in the DTCI area or in the CH.


I could be wrong but I assumed that pax on the same PNR have to check in together?

H




I don't see why they should and I can't see any reason why it would have to be the case either, as long as you are both checked in before the flight closes. I would have thought it was quite a common occurrence.

Neil

As far as I remember the lift is just a lift and not a special VS pax only lift.

It looks like a bog standard BAA lift and is not branded as a VS lift either on the inside or at the entrances. Indeed on checking the T3 map the lift is pointed out and uses the same lift symbol on the departures level (but not the check-in level)

I have seen non VS pax use it to go both up and down

I previously commented on its lack of 'specialness' in a TR.

I thought that you had to scan the QR code on your boarding pass to get the doors to open?

Also you do not need to check-in together if you are on the same PNR, by the time is is under airport control they can do whatever they want at the desks and the check-in kiosks are fine if it is just you on your own and the other people in the PNR aren't with you.

Anyone can use the lift, but once upstairs you scan the barcode on your boarding pass for the door to open, which leads down to the security screening area. If the barcode doesnt work, there is a buzzer you can press and speak to someone who normally asks you to hold your ticket/boarding pass up to the camera, and they can open the door.