What DO people do at check in?!

[225]

It amazes me how long some airports take to check people in, surely the principle is the same everywhere. It takes what 2minutes to check the details and then print the baggage tickets etc? Always seems that way at Changi, PVG for example today took I would say 4-5 minutes per person for J class, then as I was one away the guy took over 10minutes to check the person in front of me in. I was in that position where do you go to the back of the other queue or stick it out in the same one...

[Aulia Harun]

I think it varies from pax to pax. Especially, when "new" flyers are on their first trip, you can expect longer times. I have seen some pax at the check-in counter arguing about his itinerary vs. airline ticket. It takes some time for the check-in person to explain to new travelers the difference between a flight itinerary, a flight ticket, and a boarding pass!

[Singapore Sling]

Last time I check-in it took 20mins, 2mins to print the baggage ticket, 16mins to print boarding passes, all because I was travel on two tickets which the check-in girl could not seem to understand, the other 2mins was for all the normal questions. At Changi this would take about 5mins max, LHR is where it has taken the longest when traveling on two tickets, at 45mins and they still got it wrong, but I did get a free upgrade out off that one.

[SQflyergirl]

Let's not be too harsh. Sometimes, there are complex itineraries that are on multiple tickets. Sometimes, there are visa requirements. Sometimes there are ticket irregularities - all of which are not the fault of the check-in agent.

[225]

True enough there are plenty of people who cause the delay not the check in desk staff who have to sort it out, people wondering why they cant check in 100KG of luggage etc
It was just early in the morning and everyone was getting annoyed, a couple in the first class check in desk actually walked past the rest of us once they finally got checked in and laughed in amazement saying good luck guys you'll be there for a while!

[Kyo]

It amazes me how long some airports take to check people in, surely the principle is the same everywhere. It takes what 2minutes to check the details and then print the baggage tickets etc? Always seems that way at Changi, PVG for example today took I would say 4-5 minutes per person for J class, then as I was one away the guy took over 10minutes to check the person in front of me in. I was in that position where do you go to the back of the other queue or stick it out in the same one...

Immigration queues were 10 mins in the evening at PVG for SQ835... no queues at J check-in (but two separate couples were at the J desk so was shifted to empty F check-in), Y was about 10 pax...

Flight was very light in J, Y seems about 60% full also (didn't really look, only gauged at boarding and some of the crew mentioned the cabins weren't full up)...

No queue for TG Y on Sunday afternoon

And yes, I'm still bemused by how long check-ins can get, especially in a day/age of OLCI...

[kapitan]

And there are the security checks, wherre we as frequebnt fliers who had gone through countless of times are all ready, with nothing in pockets, mobile phone in bag, computers ready to be pulled out, and you have one joker in front who start doing all tis when he/she reached the counter...... Haizzz.... Just got two idiots in front of me here in Inchon....

[mhadian]

And there are the security checks, wherre we as frequebnt fliers who had gone through countless of times are all ready, with nothing in pockets, mobile phone in bag, computers ready to be pulled out, and you have one joker in front who start doing all tis when he/she reached the counter...... Haizzz.... Just got two idiots in front of me here in Inchon....

I always think that there's should be a separate line called "Idiot/Don't know what to do" and "Know what to do" in the security lane... The "express" lane doesn't always guarantee you to have a breeze...

[trekkie]

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[225]

I always think that there's should be a separate line called "Idiot/Don't know what to do" and "Know what to do" in the security lane... The "express" lane doesn't always guarantee you to have a breeze...

I do wonder at the people who walk past the bins, the big sign saying NO WATER, more bins then a bigger sign saying NO WATER only to get stopped and unpack 3 bottles of said water. Or the classic, "no I don't have anything in my pockets metallic" "oh, sorry didn't realise that included, coins, mobile phones, pens.."

What was odd though I remember going through security at changi not that long ago and someone had 2 bottles of water in their hand luggage, they were told they could keep one however but had to throw the other one away?

[SQAKLFlyer]

'Express Lanes' - what a joke. at least 75% of the time SQ checkin have given me some form of Express clearance (for immigration or security), the Express Lanes are closed..

The worst example was in Auckland where the express Immigration Counter is 10 meters from the check-in desks, with a clearly displayed 'Closed' sign on it. Still got express clearance....