What does "check-in" mean nowadays?
Planemike
I fly quite a lot, but I can tell you I never ever get board of looking out of the window in what ever A/C I am in. There will be a day though, with either ill health or more lightly insurance costs when I will know longer will be able to do it, and I will miss it greatly. So grab the moment.
Cheers
Mr Mac
I fly quite a lot, but I can tell you I never ever get board of looking out of the window in what ever A/C I am in. There will be a day though, with either ill health or more lightly insurance costs when I will know longer will be able to do it, and I will miss it greatly. So grab the moment.
Cheers
Mr Mac
Thank you for the encouragement. Like you just love being up there and looking out on the world, sometimes just a load of clouds....!! Certainly hope to fly again, have a few ideas on what I would like to fly in and where to. Guess I have done my fair share since that first flight in 1952.... PM
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Son of Slot
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Planemike I don't mind a bit of thread drift because that is how conversations roll along. 1952 was certainly another era and how wonderful to be able to see that span of development and change. For me, a window seat is always vital and I pay extra to ensure it. I was once stuck in the 'D' seat of 'Y' from SFO to HKG and it was a miserable 10 hours and saw nothing of the fab Chequer Board approach. Fortunately, I did see it on other occasions.
Also thanks to c52 for starting this thread.
Also thanks to c52 for starting this thread.
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Beyond the Blue Horizon
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Planemike
My first flight was back from Zurich in 1960 about 2 weeks after I was born, presumably with BEA though a little young to appreciate it, so I am a few years behind you.
S.o.S
One of the best things about this cabin is the conversation, and how it develops, and the gentleness of it, and the light hand required in moderation as a result. Thank you.
Cheers
Mr Mac
My first flight was back from Zurich in 1960 about 2 weeks after I was born, presumably with BEA though a little young to appreciate it, so I am a few years behind you.
S.o.S
One of the best things about this cabin is the conversation, and how it develops, and the gentleness of it, and the light hand required in moderation as a result. Thank you.
Cheers
Mr Mac
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Planemike
I fly quite a lot, but I can tell you I never ever get board of looking out of the window in what ever A/C I am in. There will be a day though, with either ill health or more likely insurance costs, when I will know longer will be able to do it, and I will miss it greatly. So grab the moment.
Cheers
Mr Mac
I fly quite a lot, but I can tell you I never ever get board of looking out of the window in what ever A/C I am in. There will be a day though, with either ill health or more likely insurance costs, when I will know longer will be able to do it, and I will miss it greatly. So grab the moment.
Cheers
Mr Mac
Planemike I don't mind a bit of thread drift because that is how conversations roll along. 1952 was certainly another era and how wonderful to be able to see that span of development and change. For me, a window seat is always vital and I pay extra to ensure it. I was once stuck in the 'D' seat of 'Y' from SFO to HKG and it was a miserable 10 hours and saw nothing of the fab Chequer Board approach. Fortunately, I did see it on other occasions.
Also thanks to c52 for starting this thread.
Also thanks to c52 for starting this thread.
I reflect on the development that took place in my time on the London - Nairobi route. As I said first time (my first ever flight) 1952, that was only 20 years after the first direct (??!!) air service from London. I seem to recall that took about eight days, eleven to Capetown. ""Direct" involved about five different aircraft and a train journey: not allowed to overfly Italy. My flight was in a Vickers Viking (derived from the Wellington). Non pressurised (max altitude abt 14000ft, often much less than that) great views, of course, especially from the cockpit where my Dad and I were able to spend quite some time: Dad was ex RAF as were the aircrew.
Tail wheel, hey, an airliner that could be ground looped! 28 passengers: three cockpit crew (flight deck yet to invented !!). One stewardess (again cabin crew yet to be invented). The crew all did the whole trip with same passengers. Oh yes, she was called Helen and I fell madly in love with her....!! I still have post card from her.....!!
My final trip to Nairobi was in 1983 (to my Dad's funeral), just over 30 years from my first flight. BA 747 direct from LHR in about eight hours. Two crew on the flight deck and about fifteen in the cabin looking after around 350 passengers... Could hardly have been more different. During the 50/60s I made the trip on quite a few other types, including being hauled along by four RR Merlins.....!!
Yes, some wonderful flights, great memories. Do hope I can manage a few more flights before making the final one !!! It will depend on whether I can master buying a ticket and printing out a boarding card.....!!
Last edited by Planemike; 26th Feb 2023 at 21:29.
I was reminiscing the other day with an equally ancient friend about the old IATA hand -written "carbon" tickets. Anyone remember those? 
If you changed your booking, you had to go to the airline office or a travel agent and get little stickers added to the appropriate line! The good old days.
If you changed your booking, you had to go to the airline office or a travel agent and get little stickers added to the appropriate line! The good old days.
On my visits to see him, he would proudly show me another project he was working on - a prototype ticket printer - which I thought at the time was extremely cool.
I was reminiscing the other day with an equally ancient friend about the old IATA hand -written "carbon" tickets. Anyone remember those?
If you changed your booking, you had to go to the airline office or a travel agent and get little stickers added to the appropriate line! The good old days.
If you changed your booking, you had to go to the airline office or a travel agent and get little stickers added to the appropriate line! The good old days.
CH3CH2OH
I still get a thrill from flying, something like 45 years since my first flight. Up to 2019 I was traveling frequently for work, a mix of long haul East/West and also Europe/Scandinavia. My philosophy was always to be in possession of a piece of paper to facilitate access to the aircraft.
Now flying is almost exclusively for leisure reasons and last week a short hop to London in the back of an A320 saw the camera out, the link below takes you from the end of pushback to climbing out from Runway 34 in Aberdeen if you are inclined to view. We did rely fully on the electronic boarding pass, screenshot of the boarding pass app image/phone screen rotation turned off and all worked well.. I suppose a battery or phone failure would be dealt with in the same way as a lost or damaged paper boarding pass.
Now flying is almost exclusively for leisure reasons and last week a short hop to London in the back of an A320 saw the camera out, the link below takes you from the end of pushback to climbing out from Runway 34 in Aberdeen if you are inclined to view. We did rely fully on the electronic boarding pass, screenshot of the boarding pass app image/phone screen rotation turned off and all worked well.. I suppose a battery or phone failure would be dealt with in the same way as a lost or damaged paper boarding pass.
Paxing All Over The World
However tired or fed up I am am, no matter how bad my mood, when we turn on to the active, I start to perk up and, when the engines move to take off power? I start smiling.
5711N0205W Last time through ABZ was 1998.
Tickets? When we went from those multi-part with carbons to the ATB ticket - we thought we were really in the new age! When I was watching The Man From U.N.C.L.E in the mid-60s, we could never have believed the technology that we now carry in our pockets. I was in Telecomms and IT for 27 years and am still amazed by it.
I've bored the cabin before so a quick recap: Dec 1965, LHR Oceanic Terminal [3] to JNB via CIA and NBO on a standard VC10. Bliss and I have never lost the delight. I could risk it by saying: "When I am run down - all I need is for aero-engines to run up ...!"
5711N0205W Last time through ABZ was 1998.
Tickets? When we went from those multi-part with carbons to the ATB ticket - we thought we were really in the new age! When I was watching The Man From U.N.C.L.E in the mid-60s, we could never have believed the technology that we now carry in our pockets. I was in Telecomms and IT for 27 years and am still amazed by it.
I've bored the cabin before so a quick recap: Dec 1965, LHR Oceanic Terminal [3] to JNB via CIA and NBO on a standard VC10. Bliss and I have never lost the delight. I could risk it by saying: "When I am run down - all I need is for aero-engines to run up ...!"
Always A4 printouts for me, but in black-and-white - not wasting colour ink on advertising!
Done at least 24 hours in advance - <mumble> decades in IT has convinced me that printers are sentient, and *know* if you are in a hurry, and so decide to throw a hissy fit.
I used to use an inkjet printer, but found that after a few months of inaction, the printheads had inevitably seized up. So replacement cartridges at ~20 quid a go. So I bought a laser printer for ~120 quid. Came with "starter" toner packs but they were still good for a lot of printouts. Official refills would have been ~400, but found a toner top-up company that could provide chips and toner for ~200 - which will do me for many years. A bit of DIY involved, and laser ink is *very* messy stuff...
Done at least 24 hours in advance - <mumble> decades in IT has convinced me that printers are sentient, and *know* if you are in a hurry, and so decide to throw a hissy fit.
I used to use an inkjet printer, but found that after a few months of inaction, the printheads had inevitably seized up. So replacement cartridges at ~20 quid a go. So I bought a laser printer for ~120 quid. Came with "starter" toner packs but they were still good for a lot of printouts. Official refills would have been ~400, but found a toner top-up company that could provide chips and toner for ~200 - which will do me for many years. A bit of DIY involved, and laser ink is *very* messy stuff...
IF this is "thread drift", apologies in advance.....!! I have not flown on a airline since 2017.... No immediate plans to do so but would like to at some stage.
Does the fact I do not possess a "Smart" 'phone preclude me from flying?? If I did possess one, I would not have a clue what to do with it!! I have no interest in having one as I am not in the least "techie". If I decided to book a flight I would do it through a travel agent... What are my chances of being able to be a passenger again???
OH BTW, I can read and write and hopefully understand the King's English. Also possess a valid UK passport so please do not write me off completely....LOLOL !!!!
Does the fact I do not possess a "Smart" 'phone preclude me from flying?? If I did possess one, I would not have a clue what to do with it!! I have no interest in having one as I am not in the least "techie". If I decided to book a flight I would do it through a travel agent... What are my chances of being able to be a passenger again???
OH BTW, I can read and write and hopefully understand the King's English. Also possess a valid UK passport so please do not write me off completely....LOLOL !!!!
No one would expect to be able to fully function in society without the ability to read and write. However, increasingly, the same could be said of the smartphone, you cannot expect to fully participate if you do not have one. Not saying I agree it should be so, far from it, but it is what it is.
I too was a hold out, only nudged into having a smartphone two years ago due to COVID documentation only available by that route whilst on the move. Furthermore, a new job relied on participating in various WhatsApp groups – used that as a lever to get my first smartphone out of the company and an allowance that more than covered the running costs.
Now, checking-in. I always try and check-in online, in the possibly/probably mistaken belief that it gets me ‘on the plane’. If I can, I will print my boarding pass, although often when travelling I will not have access to a printer, so will still present myself, even though I will also put it on my smartphone.
Often on long haul flights, I am one of the very few who only has a carry-on bag, so by using on-line check-in, the first contact I would have would be at the gate when boarding. This would sometimes result in my name being paged at the gate, as up until then I had not been ‘seen’. More recently, presumably to avoid such a scenario, some of the destinations I travel to are such that online check-in is not possible anyway, so as to make someone present at the desk to check visas etc.
I too will go out of my way to get a window seat - think of how much someone might pay for an aerial tour of the Amazon, the Himalaya, the Sahara - and that is included in the price!! However, it is surprising even on day time flights (non-sun side of course!!) how many blinds remain fully down, to the point of appearing the odd person out. As a single traveller, I have sometimes also been pressured to move, despite having selected and in some cases paid extra for a specific seat, so that two people, who had made no such advance provision, can 'sit together'. Does this happen to others? How do you manage the situation? I think, in particular, having paid extra for a specific seat, the airline should make it voluntary, but we know that they can be a law unto themselves.
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N4790P
Pardon a quick digression on a digression before I get back on point.
No one would expect to be able to fully function in society without the ability to read and write. However, increasingly, the same could be said of the smartphone, you cannot expect to fully participate if you do not have one. Not saying I agree it should be so, far from it, but it is what it is.
I too was a hold out, only nudged into having a smartphone two years ago due to COVID documentation only available by that route whilst on the move. Furthermore, a new job relied on participating in various WhatsApp groups – used that as a lever to get my first smartphone out of the company and an allowance that more than covered the running costs.
Now, checking-in. I always try and check-in online, in the possibly/probably mistaken belief that it gets me ‘on the plane’. If I can, I will print my boarding pass, although often when travelling I will not have access to a printer, so will still present myself, even though I will also put it on my smartphone.
Often on long haul flights, I am one of the very few who only has a carry-on bag, so by using on-line check-in, the first contact I would have would be at the gate when boarding. This would sometimes result in my name being paged at the gate, as up until then I had not been ‘seen’. More recently, presumably to avoid such a scenario, some of the destinations I travel to are such that online check-in is not possible anyway, so as to make someone present at the desk to check visas etc.
I too will go out of my way to get a window seat - think of how much someone might pay for an aerial tour of the Amazon, the Himalaya, the Sahara - and that is included in the price!! However, it is surprising even on day time flights (non-sun side of course!!) how many blinds remain fully down, to the point of appearing the odd person out. As a single traveller, I have sometimes also been pressured to move, despite having selected and in some cases paid extra for a specific seat, so that two people, who had made no such advance provision, can 'sit together'. Does this happen to others? How do you manage the situation? I think, in particular, having paid extra for a specific seat, the airline should make it voluntary, but we know that they can be a law unto themselves.
No one would expect to be able to fully function in society without the ability to read and write. However, increasingly, the same could be said of the smartphone, you cannot expect to fully participate if you do not have one. Not saying I agree it should be so, far from it, but it is what it is.
I too was a hold out, only nudged into having a smartphone two years ago due to COVID documentation only available by that route whilst on the move. Furthermore, a new job relied on participating in various WhatsApp groups – used that as a lever to get my first smartphone out of the company and an allowance that more than covered the running costs.
Now, checking-in. I always try and check-in online, in the possibly/probably mistaken belief that it gets me ‘on the plane’. If I can, I will print my boarding pass, although often when travelling I will not have access to a printer, so will still present myself, even though I will also put it on my smartphone.
Often on long haul flights, I am one of the very few who only has a carry-on bag, so by using on-line check-in, the first contact I would have would be at the gate when boarding. This would sometimes result in my name being paged at the gate, as up until then I had not been ‘seen’. More recently, presumably to avoid such a scenario, some of the destinations I travel to are such that online check-in is not possible anyway, so as to make someone present at the desk to check visas etc.
I too will go out of my way to get a window seat - think of how much someone might pay for an aerial tour of the Amazon, the Himalaya, the Sahara - and that is included in the price!! However, it is surprising even on day time flights (non-sun side of course!!) how many blinds remain fully down, to the point of appearing the odd person out. As a single traveller, I have sometimes also been pressured to move, despite having selected and in some cases paid extra for a specific seat, so that two people, who had made no such advance provision, can 'sit together'. Does this happen to others? How do you manage the situation? I think, in particular, having paid extra for a specific seat, the airline should make it voluntary, but we know that they can be a law unto themselves.
Pardon a quick digression on a digression before I get back on point.
No one would expect to be able to fully function in society without the ability to read and write. However, increasingly, the same could be said of the smartphone, you cannot expect to fully participate if you do not have one. Not saying I agree it should be so, far from it, but it is what it is. s.
No one would expect to be able to fully function in society without the ability to read and write. However, increasingly, the same could be said of the smartphone, you cannot expect to fully participate if you do not have one. Not saying I agree it should be so, far from it, but it is what it is. s.
Thought a little more about this one. Learning to read & write is a "one off" exercise, sure you can improve with practise. You do not need to keep paying for the privilege of being able to read and write. You do not need to indulge in perpetual upgrades!!".
Last edited by Planemike; 28th Feb 2023 at 17:15.
100 years ago, many people saw no need to pay for this new-fangled thing called a motorcar when a horse-and-carriage seemed fine, nor a reason why they should buy a new car every N years because of the need to upgrade. Yet somehow, people decided they wanted to go through the hassle of learning to drive and paying significant amounts of money to buy a car as well as fuel, insurance, MOT, etc...because it made life easier.
Nobody is forced to have a smartphone... but when travelling, and particularly when flying, it makes life easier.
Nobody is forced to have a smartphone... but when travelling, and particularly when flying, it makes life easier.
For whom does it make life easier ?? Certainly not for me; I do not have a clue how to use one, way too complicated and I have zero interest in learning. Maybe for the airlines...???
Last edited by Planemike; 28th Feb 2023 at 17:42.
Paxing All Over The World
I think the problem that countless companies have created is that they want to move people onto using the Smartphone 'Apps' because it saves them money and gives them more control. They forget the generation who are not going to use them. Govts make the same mistake. The banks have wanted to dump Cheques for a long time to save money and the govt was going to support them - until they got a swift kick from their older voters. Cheques should be allowed to die a natural death - not when it suits the banks.
Airlines and many others, should wait for customers to adapt and not force them to use 'old' methods. I don't think the finance people realise what they are doing to cusotmer service. The big bosses should know better.
Airlines and many others, should wait for customers to adapt and not force them to use 'old' methods. I don't think the finance people realise what they are doing to cusotmer service. The big bosses should know better.
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Beyond the Blue Horizon
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Pardon a quick digression on a digression before I get back on point.
No one would expect to be able to fully function in society without the ability to read and write. However, increasingly, the same could be said of the smartphone, you cannot expect to fully participate if you do not have one. Not saying I agree it should be so, far from it, but it is what it is.
I too was a hold out, only nudged into having a smartphone two years ago due to COVID documentation only available by that route whilst on the move. Furthermore, a new job relied on participating in various WhatsApp groups – used that as a lever to get my first smartphone out of the company and an allowance that more than covered the running costs.
Now, checking-in. I always try and check-in online, in the possibly/probably mistaken belief that it gets me ‘on the plane’. If I can, I will print my boarding pass, although often when travelling I will not have access to a printer, so will still present myself, even though I will also put it on my smartphone.
Often on long haul flights, I am one of the very few who only has a carry-on bag, so by using on-line check-in, the first contact I would have would be at the gate when boarding. This would sometimes result in my name being paged at the gate, as up until then I had not been ‘seen’. More recently, presumably to avoid such a scenario, some of the destinations I travel to are such that online check-in is not possible anyway, so as to make someone present at the desk to check visas etc.
I too will go out of my way to get a window seat - think of how much someone might pay for an aerial tour of the Amazon, the Himalaya, the Sahara - and that is included in the price!! However, it is surprising even on day time flights (non-sun side of course!!) how many blinds remain fully down, to the point of appearing the odd person out. As a single traveller, I have sometimes also been pressured to move, despite having selected and in some cases paid extra for a specific seat, so that two people, who had made no such advance provision, can 'sit together'. Does this happen to others? How do you manage the situation? I think, in particular, having paid extra for a specific seat, the airline should make it voluntary, but we know that they can be a law unto themselves.
No one would expect to be able to fully function in society without the ability to read and write. However, increasingly, the same could be said of the smartphone, you cannot expect to fully participate if you do not have one. Not saying I agree it should be so, far from it, but it is what it is.
I too was a hold out, only nudged into having a smartphone two years ago due to COVID documentation only available by that route whilst on the move. Furthermore, a new job relied on participating in various WhatsApp groups – used that as a lever to get my first smartphone out of the company and an allowance that more than covered the running costs.
Now, checking-in. I always try and check-in online, in the possibly/probably mistaken belief that it gets me ‘on the plane’. If I can, I will print my boarding pass, although often when travelling I will not have access to a printer, so will still present myself, even though I will also put it on my smartphone.
Often on long haul flights, I am one of the very few who only has a carry-on bag, so by using on-line check-in, the first contact I would have would be at the gate when boarding. This would sometimes result in my name being paged at the gate, as up until then I had not been ‘seen’. More recently, presumably to avoid such a scenario, some of the destinations I travel to are such that online check-in is not possible anyway, so as to make someone present at the desk to check visas etc.
I too will go out of my way to get a window seat - think of how much someone might pay for an aerial tour of the Amazon, the Himalaya, the Sahara - and that is included in the price!! However, it is surprising even on day time flights (non-sun side of course!!) how many blinds remain fully down, to the point of appearing the odd person out. As a single traveller, I have sometimes also been pressured to move, despite having selected and in some cases paid extra for a specific seat, so that two people, who had made no such advance provision, can 'sit together'. Does this happen to others? How do you manage the situation? I think, in particular, having paid extra for a specific seat, the airline should make it voluntary, but we know that they can be a law unto themselves.
When flying on an A380 in Business, I will take a window seat, and my wife will do the same, and don’t try and put us in the middle. It is the same for both of us when on business. If on a business trip, you will usually see enough of your colleagues after your flight, the only exception being unless there is a pressing meeting shortly after arrival for us. So window seats for both of us even when travelling short haul say for 3 hrs, but on something like 777 for longer we will sit together, and argue who gets the window seat 😉
So to quickly answer your question no, not for moving.
Cheers
Mr Mac