Online check in question

Hi,

I'm flying the the US from Heathrow soon but I'm unclear about online check in.

I'm not going to have access to a printer 24 hours before the flight when online check in opens. Is it necessary to print anything out or can I just make a note of the reference number?

Thanks in advance.

[Neil]

Hi and welcome to V-Flyer,

You don't have to print anything off when you do OLCI. There is the option to print your boarding cards, but unless you are travelling without any checked luggage you will still have to go the bag drop at the airport, and you can get your boarding cards printed then.

Neil

I'd just take a note of the seat you've chosen / been allocated.

You will need a printed BP and not just a seat number / reference so you can get through security etc.

The check-in staff are used to this and its not a problem for them to print it for you.

You will need a printed BP and not just a seat number / reference so you can get through security etc.

The check-in staff are used to this and its not a problem for them to print it for you.

I didn't mean to imply that the Spooky should attempt to get through without a printed boarding card of some kind. Sorry if it came across like that.

What I was aiming for was to say you can do OLCI to secure a seat and then go to the airport and have your boarding card printed for you. If you don't print the card at home it may be useful to note your seat number (if you are particular about such things) so that you can confirm that the seat you end up with at the airport is the seat you expected to get. Granted that operational reasons may result in a change...

[mitchja]

VS OLCI gives you the option to either print, email or (I think) fax a copy of your boarding pass.

You can simply collect a proper boarding pass from check-in at the airport too.

That's great, thanks ls for the quick replys.

I think I'll go for the email option so I have the confirmation on my Blackberry. I hope it's as easy on the way back too

Cheers.

[mitchja]

With the email option, your boarding pass arrives as a PDF attachment to an email.

With the email option, your boarding pass arrives as a PDF attachment to an email.

That's awkward but as long as they are OK with me not having something on pulped tree I'll be OK

[Neil]

With the email option, your boarding pass arrives as a PDF attachment to an email.

That's awkward but as long as they are OK with me not having something on pulped tree I'll be OK

I have never had to hand over any paperwork when checking in at the airport. All they ask for is our passports, and we always do OLCI then check our bags in at the airport.

I have never had to hand over any paperwork when checking in at the airport. All they ask for is our passports, and we always do OLCI then check our bags in at the airport.

Thanks. Do they print you a boarding card when you drop your bags off then?

[mitchja]

BMI (sorry, British Midland International) have a good system, in that you get sent your boarding pass via a MMS message with a special bar code on it and then
you simply scan your mobile screen in the same way your paper boarding passes are scanned as you pass through the airport.

I usually have the email confirmation from OLCI on my phone if they wanted to see it but have never turned up with any paperwork at check-in and have never printed out a boarding pass in advance.

[Neil]

Thanks. Do they print you a boarding card when you drop your bags off then?

Yes they do.

I have never had to hand over any paperwork when checking in at the airport. All they ask for is our passports, and we always do OLCI then check our bags in at the airport.

Thanks. Do they print you a boarding card when you drop your bags off then?

Yes they'll print it out for you there and then.

I have never had to hand over any paperwork when checking in at the airport. All they ask for is our passports, and we always do OLCI then check our bags in at the airport.

I was going to say "ditto" but ISTRC a few years back having to navigate past people managing the queues who wanted to see documentation. That said, it's not happened in the past few trips so perhaps it was of its time...

Paul