New fangled airline check in

I flew to Italy recently with Ryanair and had to check in on line using their App on my phone. I was quite stressed about it because they fine you £55 if you don't check in in advance. Thankfully I managed it OK. I did it as soon as possible - has to be done in the last 24 hours - in case I needed to get a friend to help. It's the first time I've had to do that alone. Last time I flew anywhere my DiL booked the flights and handled everything. She sent my documents to me but at the airport she presented everything on her phone so I only needed to show my passport.
I wonder if people without smartphones have to pay the fine or if they can do it on a laptop and print things. I would have preferred to do that in a way as I feel more confident with a paper document but the instructions all involved using the App so I had to be brave and hope for the best.

Allira

Norah

We fly often. We always print passes at home. We never fiddle with mobile phones. We look round us - read signs, following all. We plan at home by way of airport internet maps, allow plenty of time.

Wear hiking shoes, coats, jeans, and jumpers. We carry cabin luggage.

However, I know our method may not work seamlessly for all, we are logistical puzzlers and airport check ins make sense to us.

November we'll leave for 5 days in Australia, clothing may be a dilemma.

We do the same.
Boy Scout and Girl Guide. Be pPrepared.
Fine if all goes smoothly but it doesn't always.

Five days in Australia? Thst's a long way to go for five days!

Australia is a long distance, my husband's business requirement. We're flying with seats that adjust for sleeping, logical.

CocoPops

J52... no I don't shop on arrival. I travel in jeans, T shirt, hoodie and hiking trainers. I pack lightweight trainers, sandals, shorts, cropped pants, T shirts, a sweater, swimsuit, socks, underwear, PJ's, sponge bag and meds. Nothing fancy. My handbag has credit cards, 2 passports, keys, phone and charger, tissues and a paperback.

Wasn’t me! I think your replying to Allira 16 Sept 19:49

Norah

We fly often. We always print passes at home. We never fiddle with mobile phones. We look round us - read signs, following all. We plan at home by way of airport internet maps, allow plenty of time.

Wear hiking shoes, coats, jeans, and jumpers. We carry cabin luggage.

However, I know our method may not work seamlessly for all, we are logistical puzzlers and airport check ins make sense to us.

November we'll leave for 5 days in Australia, clothing may be a dilemma.

We do the same.
Boy Scout and Girl Guide. Be pPrepared.
Fine if all goes smoothly but it doesn't always.

Five days in Australia? Thst's a long way to go for five days!

Yes we take a cabin rucksack. In that is my iPad, phone, sweets to suck for take off, medical needs, tissues, waterproof fold up jacket. I also take a cross body bag with passports and bank card in. That’s it. Also one suitcase goes in the hold. We have it down to a fine art now. When we do a mini break in the UK I just take a cabin trolley instead of the big case. All works fine.

We fly often. We always print passes at home. We never fiddle with mobile phones. We look round us - read signs, following all. We plan at home by way of airport internet maps, allow plenty of time.

Wear hiking shoes, coats, jeans, and jumpers. We carry cabin luggage.

However, I know our method may not work seamlessly for all, we are logistical puzzlers and airport check ins make sense to us.

November we'll leave for 5 days in Australia, clothing may be a dilemma.

Never again for us! We needed a holiday to get over the stress and hassle of getting there, and then you have to do it all again to come home. So done with airports. There are so many things that we have to do ourselves, and whilst we’re not too bad at technology, we’re not that great either, and generally find it all very stressful. I’m well aware that we’re probably the last generation to have problems with technology and companies don’t care, working on the assumption that we’ll all be dead soon!

We went through without problems the first time we used the new system at Heathrow and when it works, it's probably fine but when it doesn't, utter chaos results.

We flew from Gatwick in August using BA. I downloaded the boarding passes to my Apple wallet and then at the airport we used the check in automated service to put the cases on the conveyor belt. It worked a treat but plenty of employees to help if you couldn’t manage it. We found it worked fine. Moving through passport control we also had no problems with the automated service. The only slow area is the bit where you put your bags through the scanner and wait to be frisked if they single you out. That bit is chaotic but the rest worked smoothly. Same on the return journey.

We no longer fly after a very distressing attempt to get on a flight at Stansted. I had lunch with four retired friends last week, all very capable users of IT but all now no longer flying. One has a holiday to have an enjoyable experience but flying certainly is not this. We all now go by sea, rail or in this country. This summer we had glorious weather and, whilst tourists roasted in Southern Europe, we enjoyed glorious Devon. I would be interested if the number of those having foreign holidays has diminished? Certainly Spain is suffering from a lack of holiday makers.

I feel I never want to fly again. I always fail at these things and an official has to come and help. Its so stressful, especially having to scan my passport and it never works. I see my husband go through and I'm stuck.

CocoPops

J52... no I don't shop on arrival. I travel in jeans, T shirt, hoodie and hiking trainers. I pack lightweight trainers, sandals, shorts, cropped pants, T shirts, a sweater, swimsuit, socks, underwear, PJ's, sponge bag and meds. Nothing fancy. My handbag has credit cards, 2 passports, keys, phone and charger, tissues and a paperback.

I heard about a woman who came over regularly to the UK to visit family with just small hand luggage and headed for the nearest charity shops when she got here, shopped, then returned them when she left.

I find travelling lightweight on the tube and trains from Heathrow T5 to the Midlands is much easier too.and for my return trip home 🇨🇦 and no hanging around at airport carousels.

EasyJet at Gatwick have had bag drop for years . I check in at home 30 days prior to flying , add my boarding card to my wallet on my phone. It makes the process so much quicker . Sometimes we can do bag drop , go through security in 15 minutes. I normally book the quick security. It’s about £6 each and the process is much easier now that you don’t need to take liquids out of your carry on luggage .
Oh and EJ do have staff to help .

J52... no I don't shop on arrival. I travel in jeans, T shirt, hoodie and hiking trainers. I pack lightweight trainers, sandals, shorts, cropped pants, T shirts, a sweater, swimsuit, socks, underwear, PJ's, sponge bag and meds. Nothing fancy. My handbag has credit cards, 2 passports, keys, phone and charger, tissues and a paperback.

I'm amazed that anyone travels long haul with just cabin luggage.

Do you shop when you get there?

Allira

Oh, it was working then, Norah

Miracle!

It was easy. Return was seamless 2 days later as well.

We follow directions, brilliant German signs. Only carry luggage.

CocoPops

I recently did a long haul flight with BA. Booked online with details on my phone. I only took one carry on bag. 24 hours prior flight I downloaded the boarding pass to my phone avoiding the need to check-in at a desk. Like it or not it's the digital age, straightforward and without human interaction!

We do that for both outward and homebound flights before the journey, but also print off all boarding cards, just in case.
The scanner is only reading the bar code whether it’s on you phone or printed copy.

Like all things when they work all is good, when they don’t…

Cossy

It’s great when it works, but frankly an absolute nightmare when it doesn’t!

This!

It wasn't when DD tried to go through, lots of frustrated passengers who had checked in beforehand; then they all had to join a long queue with not enough staff to deal with check-ins, a young family with two small children made to unpack and repack their cases - all in all a very poor customer experience.

Meantime, the queue for those on the same flight who had not checked in previously was moving seamlessly!

Progress? 🤔

Oh, it was working then, Norah

Miracle!

We recently flew LHR to MUC, Luftansa. Printed passes at home. Seamless.

I recently did a long haul flight with BA. Booked online with details on my phone. I only took one carry on bag. 24 hours prior flight I downloaded the boarding pass to my phone avoiding the need to check-in at a desk. Like it or not it's the digital age, straightforward and without human interaction!

Last time I flew I had assistance and had to change planes at Frankfurt. Its a huge airport and I dont know how I would have managed without the lovely young man who met me with a motorised buggy. He picked up another couple as well, just took our passports and boarding cards and did all the check in/out for us. I booked this in advance by contacting the airline. It was a German owned airline and worled like a military operation.

I've decided I don't want or need to go anywhere badly enough to fly there ever again.
Last time was pre-pandemic and the whole experience of overpriced parking; automated check-ins that didn't work; surly security staff hassling disabled spouse to get his shoes off quicker; long waits in airless spaces at the departure gates; lack of knee room in the aircraft; the people marshalling the passport queues in Berlin who would have been happier at a muster with cattle prod in hand all combined to persuade me that life is too short to put up with this if you don't have to. The romance of travel? Long gone, alas.