The baggage drop - what's the point?

[Victor Inox]

I always check in online and - with most airlines - relish the thought of simply going to the "baggage drop" and get rid of my suitcase. Quick, simple. A no brainer.

However, when I recently flew KLM out of MAN, I was astonished to find out that their "baggage drop" takes 25 minutes (at least, that is how long I had to queue until I got to the baggage drop desk).

The system is completely , as everyone is made to check in at one of the "self service kiosks" (if they haven't checked in online, that is). So all pax end up in the baggage drop queue which, on the day I departed, had only two desks open for all KLM and AF flights. A total nightmare.

I should add that almost all transit pax through AMS or CDG were, of course, being processed with the obvious document checks etc. The baggage drop line has become the new check in queue in terms of waiting time.

[deep_south]

I remember when on line checkin was a "new fangled" idea, and to encourage it BA (for example) had "fast bag drop" desks that were exactly that, and the majority of people still queued to check in.

Now of course, you need to "check in at a kiosk" and then drop your bag at the "bag drop" desks - of which there are now fewer than there were check in desks, so the queues are just as long as before; the "fast" has gone from the sign, and the airline (or agent) employs fewer staff....

[Load Toad]

Airports have taken the simple process of checking in - one size fits all except more attention to the business & first clients & turned it into a heaving mess of online check ins, bag drops, kiosk check ins, SMS bar code check in's &c. People now don't know where they are supposed to go & what they are supposed to do.

This mess probably saves a corporation a few quid which they pay out in bonuses to directors and consultants.

[nivsy]

Could be worse - like recently experienced after flying the delights...(ha ha never again) with Air Canada...

go to the machine to print off boarding card - same time print off baggage tag - afix baggage tag to bag(s) - by doing so I assume assume personal liability if say baggae tag drops off said luggage for any reason when even not in your possession - proceed to baggage drop counter - and then wave goodbye to bag - not sure what agent does at all. Even worse when in Canada and this experience was at Calgary- approach the man with a weighing machine...he may stop you and weigh baggage if he wants to - then proceed and drop your bag off yourself on belt and proceed to gate. I was wondering if AC were going to pay me as an employee - seemed to me the pax were doing everything!

[Espada III]

AF and KLM in Manchester are a joke. We did online check-in a couple of years back then waited in a long line for bag drop (with everyone else who had not checked in online) and then they realised everyone was late for the flight. So we all got rushed through and guess what - no bags at the other end (Doh!)

Its all a joke now.

[Hotel Tango]

Strangely enough I too remarked only the other day how the bag drop-off lines are becoming longer whilst the conventional check-in lines are getting shorter. This with the exception of Germany as a majority of Germans still seem to favour the conventional procedure.

Amsterdam have a self bag drop system now and it's quite a fast process once you're used to it.

Otherwise, a trick to use is to assess which line is the shortest. If it's the full check-in line, take that one (even if you've checked in online). When you get to the desk just say that you coundn't print the boarding pass and that's why you've come to the full check-in section. This procedure is NOT valid for the likes of Ryanair of course!

[Capot]

I recommend checking in online, partly to get the seat(s) you want, and partly so that you can choose the shortest queue, check-in or baggage drop. They'll always accept the bags at a check-in desk if you have already checked in.

[PAXboy]

"What's the point?"

Saving money!

Fewer humans and force pax to arrive ever earlier (it's in their interest to get there and 'security' can always be blamed) then the reduced staff can handle more pax. Yippeeee!

[edi_local]

Originally Posted by Capot

I recommend checking in online, partly to get the seat(s) you want, and partly so that you can choose the shortest queue, check-in or baggage drop. They'll always accept the bags at a check-in desk if you have already checked in.

This is pretty much my advice too, from both a passenger and as someone who has worked on check in (although the airline I worked for didn't force you to use a machine and still printed off boarding cards and bag tags at the check in desk and continues to do so).

I always try and check in online as soon as I can but as I usually have a bag I never bother printing off a boarding card. I never trust my printer to get the barcode right and don't really want to carry around an A4 sheet of paper anyway. I try and get one of the mobile phone ones to show that I have done it and can use the shorter line (if there is a dedicated online check in line). Either way it's irrelevant as I always request a new boarding card when I get to the bag drop desk anyway and have yet to be met with a no from any airline when I request a reprint. I like to have a physical card in case my mobile dies on me or I scratch the screen scanning the barcode at the gate/security. When flying an airline which charges for airport check in then I obviously print my own card.

[Victor Inox]

I recommend checking in online, partly to get the seat(s) you want, and partly so that you can choose the shortest queue, check-in or baggage drop. They'll always accept the bags at a check-in desk if you have already checked in

Of course, this is the best way to go - unless you end up flying with an airline that insists you either check online or use their self-service kiosks in the terminal. Then the baggage drop becomes the only way forward for ALL pax. And when you have a high number of transit passengers in that queue who require document checks etc. you can waive goodbye to any advantage you were expecting by checking in online.

The next maddening thing is that the (sometimes extensive) document checks on transit pax checking in is - in practice - useless, because they are checked again when boarding their connecting flight. In other words, airlines are wasting passenger's time for zilch tangible benefit.

[Rwy in Sight]

Victor Inox,

If an airline carries a pax who has not the correct paperwork, the airline is responsible for returning him to the deparature point. Hence the airlines consider the time spent on checking pax documents as time well spent.

[Solar]

Checked in recent at LHR for Moscow Aeroflot (yes I know not my choice), arrived two hours early desk not open yet, went for breakfast (30 min) came back normal check in desks had large queues, used the self service check in, proceeded to bag drop and found a large queue had formed of people checking in normally. Luckily an Aeroflot rep spotted me and checked I had the required passes and took me to the front of the queue. Bag drop signs were in dual languages so it wasn't a language issue.
Advised the company not to be booking Aeroflot for any external flights in future.
Not much romance left in traveling by air these days!!!!

[Victor Inox]

If an airline carries a pax who has not the correct paperwork, the airline is responsible for returning him to the deparature point. Hence the airlines consider the time spent on checking pax documents as time well spent

I am well aware of this. My point is that if documents need checking, then do it properly once (and not so-so twice). There is obviously a concern that the person who checks in might not be the one that goes to the departure gate. Fair enough, then check all docs at the gate, not at the check-in desk or baggage drop. Saves everybody's time.

[esa-aardvark]

Baggage drop

Took my son to Alicante. Baggage drop line = 40 minutes+,
Priority boarding about the same length, 3 conventional lines
shorter, shorter & shorter. What is the point of this stuff.
High time the airports charged the airlines according to floor space their queues use.
Fortunately my next flight is 4 weeks on a boat, then Asian Business class (not sure which yet).
Have never had such rubbish with Asian low cost airlines.

[edi_local]

Originally Posted by Victor Inox

I am well aware of this. My point is that if documents need checking, then do it properly once (and not so-so twice). There is obviously a concern that the person who checks in might not be the one that goes to the departure gate. Fair enough, then check all docs at the gate, not at the check-in desk or baggage drop. Saves everybody's time.

No point in having someone without the proper documentation floating around the departure gate. Better to check them at check in so they get no further than that if they cannot travel. If they have the correct visas etc then gate comment the passenger so that they alert the staff they are fine to go. No point scribbling OK on a boarding pass, anyone can do that if they know the staff are looking for it.

Personally though I don't see a problem with checking twice. If the person gets on the plane with the incorrect paperwork then the agent who checked them in AND the agent who boarded them as well as that persons senior will all get it in the neck, not to mention the fine for the airline and the return to original airport for the passenger. I think 2 checks are just fine! Even if a passenger had been okayed at check in I still checked visas etc at the gate because then I knew they were fine to travel and was not relying on someone else.

[Pilotinmydreams]

I had a similar experience with BA in Barcelona a few years ago. Baggage drop queue was massive and I reckon it was well over an hour to get to the desk. I mentioned it to the cabin crew who very apologised and gave me a customer complaint form. Wrote in to BA and they gave me £50 off each person in my party for the next flight - very good customer service I thought.

[localflighteast]

Pearson airport (Toronto), Terminal 1 (Air Canada)

20 minutes to line up to use the self check in kiosks. Line up being "managed" by at least 5 staff (who incidentally did nothing to stop people cutting in line, even when it was pointed out to them)
Followed by at least 45 minutes in the line up for baggage drop (manned by about 15 staff), where they procede to ask you for all the documents etc that you've previously spent 20 minutes lining up to have scanned by the kiosk.

Explain to me how this saves anyone time or money?

[Load Toad]

It doesn't - it's mostly a shambolic mess. Also these days there are so many 'infrequent flyers' that hardly anyone knows what to do.

KISS.

That'd work.

[eastern wiseguy]

Belfast yesterday. Bag drop 11-13. ALL CLOSED. Queued in regular queue. Recieved bollocking from desk woman. No amount of telling her that THEY were perhaps incorrect would dissuade her from sending us of the rear of ANOTHER queue.

So.....I have checked in ONLINE and when I go to drop off the bags I stand in a LONGER line.

Easyjet sorry MENZIES YOU ARE A BLOODY DISGRACE