Printing Boarding Cards

[e-richard]

I've never been able to check-in online with Monarch ...

Last time I tried Monarch (earlier this year), you can only print boarding cards on-line if you have no checked baggage AND you pay for allocated seats. This only works from Gatwick; from Faro, you can get allocated seats, but no printed boarding cards. I found this the hard way after paying for allocated seats that I didn't want.

Talking about our differing perceptions and conceptions, in general I choose not to pay for optional extras such as legroom, allocated seats, baggage checkin etc., but I did find it worthwhile paying to print my boarding card and bypass the checkin procedure at Gatwick. Where's the logic ??

Each to their own, I say!

[Cane]

Both the flights and car hire are much cheaper.

Surely this depends on your UK departure airport.
Where do you fly from ?

This is why I said "it works for us"

We live very close to Stansted but I'm sure everyone's needs are different.

[Cane]

I was able to print everything I needed at a small bar near the bottom of restaurant hill called Calibri.

I was online for about 20 minutes, printed 10 pages and was charged €3.50

[ceh]

I used the online check-in system for easyjet a couple of months ago and found it good with just hand luggage, being able to turn up later etc. I was surprised that the allocated boarding group was A. The srummage for boarding being one of the downsides of easyjet.

At Faro they did seem slightly confused by the printed boarding card but it was OK.

Generally we prefer Monarch but easyjet were cheaper on this occasion.

[blue]

I always pre-book seats & have extra legroom, can't bear the scrummage with Easyjet & because I can fly when it suits me I can get fantastic bargains, cheapest flight this year from Faro to Gatwick €7.99 even with tax & extra's it was still much cheaper than anyone else.

[fmm]

As someone said earlier, make sure that if you have a pre printed boarding card at Faro that you introduce yourself to the boarding staff at the gate as soon as you can. As each aircraft overbooks automatically, you could find yourself without a seat if you don't do that.

In the UK your preprinted card is scanned as you go through the airport control, but they don't have the same facility at Faro.

On the way out from Gatwick this year, the flight was very overbooked and several people didn't manage to get on the plane (nothing to do with preprinted boarding cards - they were the only definites to get on the plane in this case), but watch out for Faro.

[VON VON]

Both the flights and car hire are much cheaper.

Surely this depends on your UK departure airport.
Where do you fly from ?

This is why I said "it works for us"

We live very close to Stansted but I'm sure everyone's needs are different.

we also live close to stansted about 20 minutes drive and have also flown into Seville.which was especially helpful when we were setting up the villa as we bought quite a few litems from IKEA as we drove past.

[Farol]

As each aircraft overbooks automatically, you could find yourself without a seat if you don't do that.

Is that true for Easyjet? I have never noticed any overbooking with them and I also thought recent changes to European regulations had reduced this with other airlines.

[Bruce Wallis]

Im probably taking my own life in my hands now, but I have never heard of Easyjet delibarately overbooking the way schedulled airlines do.

[VON VON]

we also always use easyjet 4 or 5 times a year and the flights have never been deliberately overbooked.

[fmm]

I am only repeating what the stewardess told me after I got on board and asked if the flight were full on 1st August. She said she was glad she was on the plane and not at the desk as people get really hacked off (not surprisingly).

She said it was standard practice with every airline as usually 5 or so people do not turn up for their flight on the day. Unfortunately on the day I came out, no one had cancelled so some people had to stay overnight at Gatwick as the next flight out was not until the next morning. This was also fully booked, so presumably the late ones would also be pushed back a flight and so on until things were less busy.

[fmm]

Also, did you hear today on the news that Ryanair is getting snotty about people booking through internet agents - I can't remember all the ins and outs but something about not honouring tickets purchased? Did anyone else hear about this?

[e-richard]

Ryanair disapoints passengers. Read it here, but don't shout at the messenger.

[Al Garb]

Easy Jet do not overbook since you can't claim refunds for a no show as you can with the "normal" airlines. You pay for your seat and don't show; the seat is left empty. EJ bookings close 2hrs before take off. The only time they look for no shows is if the previous days flight has been cancelled and they are wanting to get people home, but no one is bumped to allow that to happen.
EJ's on line check in has had three incarnations at Faro. Originally the gate staff rang the desk and checked you in before tearing your printed sheet in half and giving you part to show to the cabin staff. The second version involved you handing in your print off for a boarding card they had "prepared earlier" in Blue Peter style. They now come with a printed list, cross you off and rip your sheet in half to give you part to show the cabin staff.
The gate staff appreciate on line check ins going up to them before the rush starts to allow them to do the admin - though you still have to wait your turn after Speedy Boarders etc