What happens between check in and boarding?

[raffele]

It being a Sunday there is the usual back-to-back stream of shows that were first broadcast many decades ago. This afternoon I stumbled upon Airline - the ITV docusoap type series following the goings on at EasyJet.

The episodes in these shows tend to be the same series after series - person in duty free turns up late and holds up the flight, cancellations, and of course - couple turn up too late to check in, with only hand baggage, and demand to get on the flight.

Whilst watching this elderly couple have three rounds with the check in supervisor (in this case, it wasn't actually their fault they were late) being continually told that regardless of how much or how little luggage they have, how fast they can run and how long until the flight's departure time, they weren't getting on I was left thinking - what happens in that 30-45 minutes, after check in closes, whilst we're all being strip searched (both electronically and physically), tempted to purchase hideously overpriced duty free and trying to navigate the maze that is airside? Obviously bags are loaded and so on, but what else happens that means it's not possible to whisk the Ryanair-friendly stragglers through departures to the gate?

[Load Toad]

And once you can 'whisk' one person through when they arrive late...what do you think will happen?

[raffele]

And once you can 'whisk' one person through when they arrive late...what do you think will happen?


I'm not suggesting that it should be possible - it's like closing train doors early at major stations. There is a need to make sure planes go away on time. I'm just curious as to the processes behind the scenes that take place in this time...

[Vld1977]

All the paperwork and calculations are done once the flight is closed to check-in. Technically, you can accept passengers after check-in closes, and the paperwork can be modified (Last Minute Changes), but the main point is consistency.

First, if a passenger turns up late with a bag that is not fit for hand-luggage, there is a high risk that the bag won`t make it to the plane. But by accepting the bag, the company is accepting responsibility for it, so if the bag is not delivered at the other end (very likely to happen at this point), the company has to re-unite the bag with the passenger, at the company's expense.

Then, consistency. It says in the ticket that check-in wil close x minutes before departure. When do you draw the line? What is the maximum time you are going to accept a passenger? And if you did it last week, how come you are not doing it today for me? It´s all down to set a time framework and adhere to it to ensure a good service, ie not delaying the departure of the flight.

Once check-in is closed, all departments work with those figures. Load control issues the loading plan and the loadsheet, and trims the aircraft for optimum performance and safety, catering confirms the amount of meals (in full services airlines, of course), check-in coordination accepts whoever is on standby basing on the amount of available seats (in full flights, the seats of those passengers that haven't checked in when the flight closes), and lots of other things. Whoever is responsible for dispatching the flight works with those figures and issue all the paperwork (which, by law, has to be strictly accurate) for the flight. They can add last minutes changes, but that can affect many things. It is up to them to decide whether accepting a pax that has arrived late would affect the operation. Many factors are involved. Have they got time to make it to the gate? Is there a long queue at the security control? If you accept a passenger for a flight, you are considering that the passenger can make it to the aircraft, so if they don't, it's the airline responsibility. Companies used to have last minute passengers "on chance only". That meant that if the passenger doesn't make it, the company declines responsibility, and it's the pax fault, but in practice, you have accepted them and you have denied boarding.

So, to avoid all this, and standarise the departing procedure (an aircraft departure is not like a bus departure), companies are enforcing the check-in closing times strictly. It´s a clear part of the contract and it's the passengers' responsibility to be on time. The different departments start working with those figures as soon as the flight is closed, and any last minute changes can affect the operation, as well as creating an eternal inconsistency in the way the terms of the contract are applied, with the associated passengers' perception of "if they did it last time and they are not doing it this time, it's because all these excuses for closing the flights on time are bs!"

[Avman]

Vld1977, FULL SERVICE airlines won't generally be petty enough to deny you check-in and boarding if you're a little late for a valid reason. That's because they generally still believe in providing their clients a SERVICE. Now, for all their given reasons, LCCs are a lot more pedantic because staff are simply not allowed any latitude in using a little common sense when it's needed. One of many reasons I don't fly RYR or EZY.

In fact, let me give you a typical RYR example which happened to a friend of mine. His flight from Charleroi to Prestwick was cancelled. The only option RYR could give him was to take a later flight from Hahn. As my mate was due to fly back to Charleroi two days later and be on duty later that day he needed to leave his car in Charleroi. He therefore made a long and arduous trip to Hahn using surface transportation. He arrived in Hahn 5 minutes past the check-in closing time (with hand luggage only) and was denied check-in! This, remember, after RYR cancelling his original flight some seven hours earlier in Charleroi. That sums up RYR's attitude to its customers and why they will never get a cent of my money.

[wiggy]

FULL SERVICE airlines won't generally be petty enough to deny you check-in and boarding if you're a little late for a valid reason.

Ummm, maybe. Don't forget at many airports in the UK even if you could persuade the Check-in Staff to let you "have a go" with handbaggage only the airport authorities impose very strict time limits on the passenger presenting his/her boarding pass at one of the conformance desks.

At the end of a day everyone can come up with a "valid reason" why they should be an exemption to the flight closure time. As a result even the full service airlines have to have a cut off time, otherwise it would result in anarchy.

[TightSlot]

Don't forget that on flights to the U.S. there are the security requirements for pax APIS info to be sent to the various authorities in advance of departure, requiring an absolute cut-off time.

FULL SERVICE airlines won't generally be petty enough to deny you check-in and boarding if you're a little late for a valid reason.

Sadly, not so. The point about valid reasons for being late is that everybody has one - nobody ever arrives at check-in claiming that they are late for no good reason whatsoever.

[radeng]

I always try to arrive at the airport 2 hours before departure time - 2-1/2 if for the US. One time I arrived at Gatwick only 20 minutes before departure, to be told my flight was cancelled anyway, and I was on the next one!

[Avman]

Sadly, not so.

Well, sorry to disappoint you Tightslot, but where I'm from it is so. The world doesn't revolve around the pedantic and jobsworth British way of life. I speak from personal experience and I'm happy to report that outside Britain aviation goes on pretty much as normal (thank God) - that includes jumpseat rides too.

[TightSlot]

Hardly disappointing, or surprising - your posting history reveals a consistency of opinion on this line of thought. Perceptions are a wonderful thing - they're yours and nobody can take them away from you. Enjoy

[Vld1977]

even if you could persuade the Check-in Staff to let you "have a go" with handbaggage only the airport authorities impose very strict time limits on the passenger presenting his/her boarding pass at one of the conformance desks.

Wiggy,

Conformance times are usually set by the airlines, not by airport security staff, who just apply the airline procedure.

[wiggy]

Vid..

Ah, thinking about it you're absolutely right, sorry, my mistake..(but neverthess it's a timing gate set to ensure pax make the gate in time for their flight).

Avman..

The world doesn't revolve around the pedantic and jobsworth British way of life. I speak from personal experience and I'm happy to report that outside Britain aviation goes on pretty much as normal (thank God)

Sorry, I reckon you're out of line there, so maybe Tightslot has a point. I was very tight on timings for a jumpseat out a very new terminal at a very major London airport yesterday AM but as always everybody, from fellow airline staff to the BAA security folks that I interacted with went out of their way to help myself and other "commuters" to get on their chosen flight.

[Pohutu]

I can certainly understand the need for there to be a cutoff time for closing check-in at x mins before departure to enable the load sheet to be prepared. But how does it work with on-line check in? There's a good chance that some of those checked in won't even get to the airport (due to changed plans, travel delays, etc). So how does the paperwork get prepared in those circumstances?

[BEagle]

OK, sometimes there are reasons beyond your control for late arrival at the check-in (traffic jams, rail delays etc).

But why do so many people actually plan to arrive at the last minute?

The only thing one can admire Ryanair for is sticking rigidily to their check-in time. Except when the queue is of their own making due to inadequate staffing.

Airports aren't much fun these days, with the constant security paranoia. But I hate being rushed, so invariably plan to arrive at the car park a minimum of 1 hour before the 'last check-in time'. More if the journey to the airport is during a rush hour. For London Airport and its far-flung long term car park and tortuous internal road system, add at least another 30 minutes....

Pedantic and jobsworth British way of life? Not really. It's just the idle travellers who think that the world revolves around them and who think it's OK to swan up to check-in 10 minutes before take-off who are wholly to blame.

Last check-in 0930 does not mean 0931...0932...or 0938. Why should it?

[Avman]

Your sarcasm requires an answer tightslot. Yes you're right about my perceptions. This is because I live on the continent and (regularly using airports/airlines in Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium) personally experience many aspects of travel differently to you. Seems to me that you are reluctant to see beyond your own tunneled perceptions, many of which are based purely on British experiences and that of the carrier you work for - but which you blatantly pass on as being strict worldwide practices. "Not so" tightslot. We don't all live on an island you know. ;)