AA....Fees for tickets.

[Krazy Kruizers]

dakrewser (Dave) - so you are saying that even though I can print my boarding passes on line, and I have bags to check there is no advantage to on-line check-in. What is the problem???

When we used to fly US Airways we were able to print our boarding passes on line, check our bags at the curb, and then proceed to security to go to our plane.

Need clarification here.

[gliles]

dakrewser (Dave) - so you are saying that even though I can print my boarding passes on line, and I have bags to check there is no advantage to on-line check-in. What is the problem???

 

When we used to fly US Airways we were able to print our boarding passes on line, check our bags at the curb, and then proceed to security to go to our plane.

 

Need clarification here.

You can do exactly as you say. Print at home and check the bags with the sky cap then you are ready to go but the sky cap can also give you your BP to get through security so Dave is correct, it is a waste of your paper and toner. If you ever fly without checked bags, it is the way to go though.

[gliles]

Personally, I think that anyone who doesn't book online is a fool! Just kidding but seriously, most airlines offer bonus miles for booking online. I work for an airline and when I purchase tickets, for example to catch a cruise, I always book it online. Obviously I don't accumulate that many miles but 1,000 for booking online added to Citibank miles, hotel and car miles, etc, it does add up and flying on an AAdvantage® ticket is much better that buying or flying standby!

[dakrewser]

dakrewser (Dave) - so you are saying that even though I can print my boarding passes on line, and I have bags to check there is no advantage to on-line check-in. What is the problem???

 

When we used to fly US Airways we were able to print our boarding passes on line, check our bags at the curb, and then proceed to security to go to our plane.

 

Need clarification here.

But you don't need to chek-in on line to use curbside checkin. The nice skycaps will gladly give you your boarding passes.:)

 

If you do on-line checkin, though, you can't use the automated terminals to check your luggage :(

 

-dave

[gliles]

If you do on-line checkin, though, you can't use the automated terminals to check your luggage

No longer true, with the roll out of the new AA machines, you now can!

[dakrewser]

No longer true, with the roll out of the new AA machines, you now can!

Which new machines? I've been using the airport terminal machines for 4 years now, and I haven't seen any changes. According to the AA website:

 

How do I check my luggage after checking in with Flight Check-In?After you have checked in using Flight Check-In, you may check your luggage at our convenient Curbside Check-In or see an American Airlines agent.

[jhannah]

When on our last flight, we were standing in the counter check-in line and were told we could check our bags at the self-service machines. An agent was there to hand us the luggage tags. We then took the bags over to the TSA area for inspection and sending out to the plane.

[gliles]

Which new machines? I've been using the airport terminal machines for 4 years now, and I haven't seen any changes. According to the AA website:

 

How do I check my luggage after checking in with Flight Check-In?After you have checked in using Flight Check-In, you may check your luggage at our convenient Curbside Check-In or see an American Airlines agent.

Today 06:18 PM

I don't know where on the site you got that but see http://www.aa.com/content/urls/checkin.jhtml

 

Where it says:

 

Print Your Boarding Pass From Home

 

Use Flight Check-In on AA.com Up To 24 Hours Before Your Flight With Flight Check-In on AA.com, you can print your boarding pass from home, the office or anywhere you have an Internet connection and a printer. It's an easy and convenient way to select or change your seat assignment and print your own boarding pass. You can go directly to security and then to your gate. If you have bags to check, use our convenient Curbside Check-In or Self-Service Check-In.

 

You may have been using the machines for 4 years but I have been working there for 22 :D The new machines just rolled out about a month or so ago and that was one of the enhancements. Another was the ability to reprint a BP or itinerary as well as check-in w/o a credit card.

[darnapar]

Northwest announced the same policy last week

[777steve]

Agents cost more money per transaction than tickets. Paper costs more than screen pixels and e-ticket storage bytes. The charge is, IMO, being applied after they (the airlines) have been playing the "wait and see" game to validate whether the public would accept fees for travel agents following their 90's reductions in travel agency commissions. It was a long time coming and inevitable. I would agree that it poses an imposition on those who do not have computer access but i guess nothing in life is ever fair to everyone.

 

As for online check-in, there are some other "perks" that make it a good thing:

 

• On Continental, for example, those exit row seats and premium seats that are unavailable during the advance seat period become available when the 30 hour advance check-in window opens.
  
• Also, I think someone else mentiond this, the added bonuses for booking and checking-in online can really add up.
  
• If one is a high mileage flier that wishes to get on the standby list for upgrades (that's the airport version not the do it anytime version) then the timing of the "first-come, first-served" starts when the check-in is activated.
  

Personally I love the ability to manage a great deal of my travelling life online. And I enjoy watching the trends in technology become part of "everyday" life.

 

Anyway, just another opinion.

 

Cheers!

:)

[gliles]

Jetblue charges $6 more to talk to an agent and British Airways charges 15 pounds more but I think Jetblue markets it as a discount to book online rather than an penalty to talk to a person, it's all in the way it's worded.