There are all sorts of jobs you might not expect in the airline industry. Since airlines have different lines for coach passengers and business class passengers, at many airports it’s someone’s job to make sure people are standing in the right line. Put another way, someone has to mind the velvet rope for priority check-in.
One such person shared an interaction they had with two passengers in their 30s traveling together.
Passenger: Hi! So we were planning on buying a Business Class ticket but at the end we didn’t. Can we still use the Business line to check-in?
Staff:Sorry, I’m not sure I understood. Are you flying Business today or maybe have requested an upgrade?
Passenger: “No, we are flying Economy……but we wanted to fly Business but we didn’t at the end”.
Staff: Keeps looking at them in disbelief and tell them “Well, sorry, if you are flying Economy you will have to line up in the Economy line to check-in”
Passenger: “Are you serious?” What if we buy a Business ticket right now?”
Staff: “Ticket sales closes 3 hours before the flight but if you manage to buy the ticket you can use the Business line to check-in”.
Passenger: “Ok, so can we line up on the Business line while we buy the ticket?”
Staff: “No. If you manage to buy a ticket come back to me and then you can use the Business line”
Passenger: “But look at how many people are waiting at the Economy line!”
Staff: “270 to be precise, reason why the other 30 who paid a huge amount of money to fly Business appreciate us keeping this line exclusively for them”
Passengers: [Proceed to the Economy line visibly annoyed without saying a word.]
Post by @tales_from_earthView on Threads
Priority check-in lines are generally for people traveling in a premium class of service. At some airlines this can even mean premium economy. It’s also for an airline’s frequent flyers who hold eligible status. And it can even be for a credit card customer.
The person minding the line, though, generally has no idea whether you’re eligible or not. They’ll ask you if you’re eligible, and if you say yes you can wait in line.
Probably once you make it to the front of the line you’ll be helped. By the time the agent at the desk knows what your status is, they’re already helping you. The problem with trying to fake this, though, is that if you get turned away then you’ve wasted time and are further back in the economy check-in line than if you hadn’t tried this.
Still, I’ve very rarely seen people kicked out of premium check-in lines, and I don’t think it’s because no one ever tries. With some foreign carriers, though, it’s likely to be a different story.
Years ago a reader suggested flashing an expired elite status card to use elite security but I generally don’t see TSA actually care who uses that line to begin with.
And Million Mile Secrets (now owned by the same parent corporation as The Points Guy) suggested faking an entitlement to priority security lines, too.
In the US, I’ve been able to go through the airport elite status line just by showing a card – sometimes a regular frequent flyer card which I got for free just by signing up for a program – to the agent manning the shorter elite lines!…
Sometimes it is just a regular frequent flyer card for an obscure foreign airline which you can get for free, sometimes I show my Southwest Companion Pass card and get access to the shorter lines for Southwest business ticket holders and A-List members, and sometimes I show my American Airlines gold card and get access to the United (or other airline) elite lane!
He suggested signing up for Asiana’s frequent flyer program, because the basic level on joining the program is Silver. You can say you’re a silver member, and it’s true! Except they haven’t sent out membership cards to non-status members in well over a decade.
Shorter lines for check-in with luggage are one of my favorite status perks, which is why I keep OneWorld status at sufficent levels to get access to those lines anywhere in the world. It has saved me numerous hours, and sometimes even gotten me on the flight in-time. Boarding is less important, as I’m usually not in a seat that doesn’t have reserved overhead space, but those check-in desks, especially at foreign airport – priceless. And it then gets me to the lounge in time that I also use my status for.
As for those who write travel columns that tell people how to “hack” the line – may the airlines put you on the Permaban list. Ryanair for life for you.
Wow. The MMS post was from 2012.
Ticket sales don’t close until the flight does…
I have had Air France staff at Paris demand to see my boarding pass to allow me to go to the business check-in lane. Of course my response was if I had my boarding pass, I wouldn’t be needing to see the agent to get a boarding pass
I wish at counter check-in for a flight you got a number so you didn’t queue up until it was almost your time to be checked in. It would keep the lines shorter and you could be more comfortable waiting in a seat without shuffling your luggage forward every few seconds. Some banks, some companies and some agencies such as the DMV successfully use such systems.
I would have read the exchange if it was posted on X. Don’t have thread account and will not be getting one
TSA cares if you are Pre-Check or not. I’ve recently seen many people sent to the non-Pre line who aren’t Pre.
Great story. I think you mitigated the effect with the list of weasel tactics at the end.
Some airports are tougher than others as yo what is required to enter the elite check-in lanes. At most airports, if they ask you at all whether you are qualified, they will accept an answer of “yes” without proof. That as never been the case for Delta at JFK, even going back when they were still using Terminal 2. The first time I was asked for proof there, I was taken aback because I had already emptied. my pockets in preparation for security (except for ID) and didn’t yet have a boarding pass. Finally the agent noticed that I had a Diamond.Medsllion bag tag and let me through. These days when checking in there, I keep my cell phone handy!
The human race gets dumber by the moment. And more disgusting. The check in business line is for those that have a business class ticket and want to check in. As far as TSA Pre, yes if you’re not PRE you will be sent packing. I’ve seen this numerous times where there’s no one checking BPs to enter the Pre Check Lane but someone with Pre Check by honest mistake or intention enters the lane. I’ve even seen people swear they’re going to miss their flight if forced back to the regular line but TSA will not budge.