What's the benefit of checking in online?

[Zigzag99]

Just that really. Surely you still have to queue to check your luggage in. We've already pre-booked our seats too.
Am i missing something? Can't see the benefit other than getting through check in quicker perhaps?

It’s much quicker. Yes you have to check your luggage in but that only takes a short time.
Also, depending on who you fly with you will get to select your seats. If you leave it until you get to the airport you will run the risk of crappy seats.

If flight

If flight is overbooked you may end up on standby or offloaded. DH learnt this the hard way. I've seen it happen at the check in desk too whil waiting to drop bags.

Well also it requires fewer staff, so it costs the airline less. I’d love to say that means our ticket prices are cheaper but...

Last time I flew we did self-service luggage drop, having checked in online, which also saved time and queuing.

I thought everyone needed to check in online now? We always do, but having said that we only ever take hand luggage.

Sorting collection postcode and time.
Choosing seats
Choosing meals

I recently flew with an airline that only did check in at the airport. It was an overbooked flight and the system said there was no seat for me. I talked to a very stern airline employee who organised a seat for me but said I was very lucky!

We didn’t bother last week, flying home from Copenhagen. We just turned up at the bag drop, scanned our passports on the machine and it then printed out our boarding cards and luggage labels. There was no queue and the whole process took less than five minutes for 4 of us. I was quite surprised - I’ve always done it online before, and didn’t realise it was so simple to just do it at the airport.

With budget airlines, so you don't get charged £££ to do it at the airport (eg Ryanair)

With flag carriers (most budgets don't overbook) so you don't get bumped off if too many people turn up.

Plus it's quicker as the desk person doesn't need to do it for you.

I only take hand luggage so I can check in online and go straight to security at the airport

If flying Ryanair you don't have to pay 55.00 pounds for airport check in for each ticket.. That's even if you've paid for priority boarding already or luggage

I don’t get it either Why isn’t check in done at the same time as buying a ticket?
I don’t see how it helps the airlines (aside from reducing their paper bill if we are printing our boarding passes.) People won’t show due to traffic/ circumstances etc as check in can be days before.