BA Print your own boarding pass??

[Stockpicker]

Felt I had to ask you operations people about this - just did internet check-in for my domestic BA flight, and was offered the option to print my own boarding pass, on condition I bring photo ID to the airport. To me it raises three questions:

1. Why are they doing this when I can already get a boarding pass in 5 secs flat from the machine at the airport?

2. If I do this, is it my one and only boarding pass and I can't get another at the airport if I forget my ID?

3. Won't doing this slow things down at the gate if I hand over a sheet of A4 instead of a slip of cardboard that can go into the reader? (or am I meant to get out scissors and cut it neatly to the right shape a la Blue Peter:= ?)

Please don't suggest I ring the call centre to ask .... I already know my call is important to them, they've told me often enough!

[newswatcher]

Stockpicker. Do you still need a photo-ID on BA, if you get pass at airport?

How many UK airlines still do not require photo-ID for domestic flights? Was prevented from travelling Luton to Edinburgh yesterday, by Easyjet. Was unable to convince them that the flight confirmation, credit card used to pay for flight, and non-photographic driving licence were sufficient proof that I was who I said I was.

I tend less to believe their claim of enhanced security requirements, and more their desire to stop people making advance bookings, and then selling the ticket to someone else nearer the date!

And yes.....their Customer Service was just as unhelpful as on TV! :mad:

[Stockpicker]

No, never yet needed photo-ID with BA - prolly because you get a boarding card using your crdeit card or frequent flyer card which ought to identify you.

[Stud3]

Oh dear.

Fancy blaming easyjet customer services because you were at fault for forgetting photographic ID. Just what kind of help were you wanting from customer services? A free flight? Them to apologise to you for failing to read the terms and conditions?

I can understand the inconvenience of missing the flight, but at the end of the day, you didn't show photo ID, you weren't allowed to travel.

I know when i flew BA back in November, domestic, i was required to show photo ID.

more their desire to stop people making advance bookings, and then selling the ticket to someone else nearer the date!

Quite rightly so. After all this is a business they're running isnt it?

[Field In Sight]

Printing your own boarding pass is a great idea.

Next time I get to do it, I will edit it in Photoshop first and give myself a nice free upgrade to first class:p

FIS.

[newswatcher]

Well thanks for your sympathy Stud3. :yuk:

What I was anticipating from Customer Service was something along the lines of - "I'm sorry you did not know we needed Photo-ID at check-in, unlike other airlines. Since this is your first flight with Easyjet, we will make an exception this time, seeing that you have provided documentation acceptable to other leading UK airlines, and because we want you to become a regular flier with us, but please don't do it again!"

BA does not require photo-ID at check-in for domestic flights. See extract from BA website Suitable forms of ID include:

Domestic travel
Credit card, Executive Club card, driving licence, company works card / ID.

So, why does Easyet think a photo-ID is essential, when other airlines, such as BA and bmi, don't require it. As far as I know it is not mandated by the CAA. They wouldn't tell me at Customer Services. I guess if I was intent on causing trouble during the flight, I would have made sure that I got on the flight without drawing attention to myself? Just a thought.

[Tandemrotor]

And as we know, it would of course be absolutely IMPOSSIBLE for any terrorist to obtain a false ID (photographic or otherwise!)

So, yes newswatcher, I entirely agree. Easyjet's policy may well be driven by reasons other than 'security'!

In the future, will you travel Easyjet, or will you check out many other airlines offering better value?

[Stockpicker]

... erm ... I rather feel my thread's been hijacked! Can anyone answer my original questions? Still not sure whether it's worth while doing this thing. Can it really be just another costcutting measure by BA (provide your own paper for a boarding card!!!)

[Jerricho]

SP, I like the Blue Peter suggestion. "Sorry, you cut outside the lines..........no flight for you!!!"

Personally, I think it's going to cause a LOAD of hassle, especially when people print off the wrong page, turn up with a piece of paper that looks like it has been eaten by the dog (just like the old homework excuse!).................but they're going to demand to be let on the aircraft with what they've got!

Also, errors in boarding cards occur. In Brisbane last month, both boarding cards we were issued were for the same seat. I only happened to notice when I glanced at them when I showed them at the duty free!!! It's going to cause problems.

[newswatcher]

Apologies stockpicker, got carried away following a wasted day yesterday.

Interesting that what you describe is not yet shown on their website demonstration. This still alludes to the need to do self-service check-in at airport to get your boarding card. No doubt they will "catch-up" soon. I notice that, whilst it offers you a seat choice, it also cleverly says that this may change as others check-in.

[Stockpicker]

No, you're right, newswatcher - it ws definitely presented as "on a trial basis" when it came up, so it's obviously just for selected flights and particularly gorgeous passengers like me:E . I was just hoping that one of the BA bods who frequents the board might have some background chat. Normally I love anything that helps me do my flying more efficiently, but not sure this fits that category.

[Stud3]

I do have sympathy for you missing your flight, my argument is what exactly do you want customer services to do about it?

Its in the terms and conditions that you need a photo ID, and if you miss read it, which is easily done, then fair enough, however the rules are, NO ID, NO TRAVEL. So unfortunately you couldnt travel.

It just annoys me when i hear of passengers complaining for something thats their own fault such as forgetting essentials at check in, or when their boarding cards tells them to be at the gate no later than 10minutes before departure or they'll be offloaded, then they turn up with 1 minute to go to find they cant travel and seem to think its the gate staffs fault, or the airport monitors not working, or they didnt hear an announcement etc.etc. :yuk: Anything to point the blame at others.

As for Ryanair not accepting Airport ID's well thats just taking the P*SS really :yuk: however if the t+c's say they dont accept certain ID's then there isnt much you can do about it.

[Helen49]

And if you are 83 years old with neither a driving licence nor a passport, you really have a problem. Bus passes ,with photo, not accepted, therefore cannot fly. Discrimination methinks!

[brakedwell]

Regarding BA's Online check-in. If two tickets have been booked online will the system accept both passengers? Last time tried to do this in September it would only issue one seat for myself and my wife. Cosy, but not very practical!

[Bumz_Rush]

just what constitues a boarding card, what quality printer, and do they expect a bar code to be readable. A little play with photo shop too I think.

AA and other USA carriers have doing this for some time.

I am in USA this week, and will try to get back to blighty with a home made boarding card, a la blue peter.

Bakedwell:

Tried to do just that, and eventually phone the ever helpfull BA help desk, (using air miles as well), after booking on line and requesting the seats, she booked within seconds, and got the seat next to me. Then I phoned customer service, (remember you have a choice), who tied the bookings (PNR) together. How romantic.

Good luck chaps.

[JARoops]

The trial for printing your own boarding card after an internet checkin is only available on the Edinburgh-Gatwick route.

[Stockpicker]

OK, JARoops , now you've got me worried - I'm pretty certain I'm headed for LHR, not LGW!

[bealine]

BA are way behind in this. Continental has had a "Print Your Own" facility for six months now!:{

[Bubbette]

Yes, I did this on my recent continental flight. Saves those long lines at Newark!

[Cyrano]

Stockpicker:

That's really interesting. I know at least one UK airport where apparently airport security have said that the only document they'll accept for passengers to gain airside access is something that is (a) personal and (b) printed at the airport. So a boarding pass with your name on it printed off at check-in downstairs is fine, but one you printed off in your office while logged on to the website (for example) is not acceptable to them (and similarly, a laminated card with a boarding number but no name is not acceptable either).

It seems therefore that there isn't as much consistency here as there could be... Where was your flight departing from? EDI?

[Globaliser]

brakedwell: Regarding BA's Online check-in. If two tickets have been booked online will the system accept both passengers? Last time tried to do this in September it would only issue one seat for myself and my wife. Cosy, but not very practical!No, if you use BA On Line Check In for a multiple pax booking, at the moment you have to log on each pax separately to check that person in. It is said that multiple pax OLCI is coming later this year.

However, anyone can register to use OLCI. The only difference is that BA Exec Club members can get in at -24h, and non-members who are website-registered can OLCI only at -12h.

[newswatcher]

helen49, apparently there is something called a citizencard (http://www.citizencard.net/), which would allow your OAP to travel.

Stud3, do easyjet allow a fax of the relevant passport page, or does it have to be original? I wasn't offered this but, in hindsight, could have provided this in time to catch the next flight.

Tandemrotor, it would be churlish of me not to travel with Easyjet in the future, despite their lack of "encouragement". On the day in question, the choices were either BA or bmi from LHR, or flybe from SOU, all in excess of £200 return, or easyjet from LTN, at £39 return! Flight times roughly comparable. As I am currently engaged on a "govt" project, requiring me to travel on a domestic flight, at least once per week until July, I am sure that you will appreciate my attempts (however insignificant), to keep the costs to the taxpayer down!!

[brockenspectre]

stockpicker I have done this before when travelling to the USA with BA (pre-911 mind you) just to see what it was like. When I handed over my two pages of printout from the website which purported to be my boarding card etc etc I semi expected check-in to laugh and throw it back at me but nothing of the sort - all was fine! In fact I had chosen my seat and that was all set too!

:)

Hope this helps.

[jonathang]

SASKATOON9999

"Makes you wonder how come Ryanair will not accept an official airport ID (with all the additional security background checks) as photographic ID, but will accept a student ID card. The student ID card being nothing more than a photo booth photograph stuck onto a piece of card with prit stick! I myself had 3 seperate ID's with different names, but my mug on when I was a student in order to maximise discounts offered by local bars."

Ryanair only accept 4 forms of ID to speed up check-in procedure's, and the student card is only one type the ISIC (International Student Identity Card) it is similar to a Photo Driving licence and is computer produced.

They don't accept Matric Cards, Military ID's and Airport passes as you said.

As has already been said if people just read the terms and conditions!!

[Indiana Jones]

In answer to you questions....and why carriers have implemented this new method for checkin,

1 Its for customer convenience and saves money. Prior to this the carriers had to provide the boarding card,so a piece of a4 is a lot cheaper. Self checkin saved the costs of the checkin desks and agent to staff them. This goes one further, saves the rent of the self checkin machines which I think BAA charge about £5000 a year for each site,but maybe wrong on the figures.

2 I am sure there will be a time when the DeTR will need some better proof of the person standing in front of you is the person that checked in at home. Im not sure what BA's procedures are with this, but they would have to be lock tight.

3 No need to clip and cut the paper...the bar code should suffice.

But in reality its for customer convenience and cost saving and also gets the customer to the BAA shops quicker and god knows they need to add to the $2.9 billion they have made since 9/11.

[SLF]

Newswatcher

Sorry to hear about your missed flight, but I think the issue of Easyjet's photo-id requirements must have been discussed on hundreds of threads on PPRuNe over the last couple of years, and cannot believe you weren't aware of it.

You have obviously also seen at least one of those airport progs on the box, I've seen a couple myself and the issue appears to be frequently aired there as well.

Sorry to rub it in, but I think you should have known better

Stockpicker

Blue Peter boarding cards - why bother? I can't see any great benefit over check-in machines for either pax or airline, and I suspect that BA may only have bought them in to satisfy those people who say "On United/Continental/Delta I can print my own card, why can't I do it on BA"?

[newswatcher]

SLF, as previously mentioned, this is the first time in my life that I have ever had to provide Photo-id for a "domestic" flight. Whilst I have watched "Airline" a couple of times, ID was only an issue for ex-UK flights on those programmes. Although I am not a "frequent" flyer, I have made four domestic flights this year, all without the need to show photo-ID, so I was just not expecting it. It was the total intransigence of the customer service representative that was particularly annoying, he was obviously not prepared to try and assist, even though I had sufficient ID on me, which would have let me travel on bmi and BA. It would certainly help if this was a requirement across all airlines, then at least we would know where we are!

Still interested to know whether a photocopy would have been acceptable.

[Stockpicker]

Thanks to all concerned, this has been a really helpful thread (and to answer the question, yes I was travelling from EDI).

Just one last thing - if I forget my homemade boarding card, can I get another at the airport or am I stuffed?:oh:

[Bluejay]

FYI

For anybody that uses OLCI for travel with BA out of LGW.

I noticed this last week but this is the first opportunity that I have had to let you know.

You may have noticed that on the printout you are told to take your bags to Zone D for fast bag drop, it seems that this is being printed for all destinations, this is not the case so the following applies:



Longhaul Fast Bag Drop - Zone D
Shorthaul and Domestic Fast Bag Drop - Zone C

Please don't be offended if you are redirected to Zone C to drop your bags, unfortunatly the belts system prevents us from putting Domestic or Shorthaul bags down Zone D (if we do they stand a greater chance of not making the flight)

Hope this helps

Rgds

Bluejay

[FinalsToLand]

newswatcher.. I think you will find a fax copy is not acceptable.
Taken from www.easyjet.com is the following
The airline requires all passengers to provide photographic ID at check-in on all flights including domestic services.

Acceptable forms of ID on UK domestic flights are:
A valid passport - an expired passport can be used up to a maximum of two years after expiry
Valid photographic EU or Swiss national identity card
Valid photographic driving licence
Valid armed forces identity card
Valid police warrant card/badge
Valid airport employees security identity pass
A child on parent' s passport is an acceptable form of ID
CitizenCard
Valid photographic firearm certificate
Valid Government-issued identity card
SMART card
Electoral identity card
Pension Book

FTL

[ojs]

Stockpicker, just to pick up your final point which appears to have gone un-answered...

Don't worry about losing your print out. You'll just have to queue to get a new one. Airline staff generally aren't too worried about re-printing boarding passes, it's only when you ask to re-print tickets that you'll hit problems!

Incidentally, the motive behind this trial is purely to save money. BA currently has a target of 100% e-ticketing by the end of this year, and 50% of pax to self-service check-in (target date un-specified).

[Elwood Senese]

From a corporate website....

British Airways Home Printed Boarding Pass

From February 2004, British Airways travellers flying out of Edinburgh will be able to print their boarding pass at home as part of the Online Check-in service. This is initially a three month trial with the intention to roll it out from May 2004 onwards. The trial aims to actively encourage travellers to get the best from British Airways' Online Check-in facilities.

Your Edinburgh travellers will be able to check-in from their own computer, and then print a Home Printed Boarding Pass on plain A4 paper. Once at the airport, your travellers can then proceed directly to the Boarding Pass Check at Central Search in Edinburgh Airport.

All travellers need to take a photo ID* with them, plus their Home Printed Boarding Pass printout. The Home Printed Boarding Pass will include a 2D barcode containing airport, flight, seat, and name information. This barcode will then be scanned by BAA security staff at the Boarding Pass Check and the details compared against your traveller's photo ID.

If your travellers have bags to check-in, they can simply use the kiosks and the Fast Bag Drop facilities.

For more information please visit batraveltrade.com

[Kes]

I saw this too in the edinburgh evening news

apparently they scan the barcode on your way through to security to confirm is a legit home printed boarding pass. Don't understand what's so great about it though, as with an ATB ticket can still make it airside and then check in at the gate - no photo ID required.

A quick £30 or so on a cheapo ATB ticket EDI-LHR or whatever and you've got airside access with no need to fake ID or anything - or am I wrong in thinking it's this easy ?

Recently entered international departures at Heathrow and showed an ATB ticket for a flight that was yet to check in for - had carry on only chose to check in at the lounge. Security staff did not ask to check passport (although this was examined airside when i checked in with bmi).

Kes.