Can I check in online for my flight?

January

Flying to Las Vegas in Jan via Heathrow with BA. Flight from Dub-Lon is with Aer Lingus...

Can I check in online for this flight or do we have to do it in the airport?

biddywiddy

I have a flight to the US in January too - flying to LHR with Aer Lingus and then onwards with Virgin. I can't access the online seat map to reserve seats on the Aer Lingus leg and, when I called Virgin, the seat map was blocked for them too.

They advised that I just wait until online check-in opens before the flight, but I'm not sure this will work for me as my Record Locator is not recognised by the Aer Lingus 'Manage Your Booking' tool, so I might be forced to wait until I'm at the airport. The other option is to call Aer Lingus which I haven't got around to yet.

fartyarse

I have never been able check in for transatlantic flights... As far as I know it has to be done at the airport...

BuffyBot

I've checked in online with Aer Lingus/BA flights before. Normally had to do the Aer Lingus and BA sections separately but it can be done.

coylemj

Patience is the key ....

Web check-in for travel to and from New York (JFK), Boston, Chicago and Orlando is available from 24 hours in advance up to 2 hours before your scheduled departure time.

http://www.aerlingus.com/travelinformation/knowbeforeyoufly/check-in/web-check-in/

billie1b

January wrote: »

Flying to Las Vegas in Jan via Heathrow with BA. Flight from Dub-Lon is with Aer Lingus...

Can I check in online for this flight or do we have to do it in the airport?

Lucky duck, I have to wait til March to make the same trip execpt its BA from DUB and LHR

braddun

should be able to check in 24 hours in advance go probably ba site unless you bought 2 tickets

whitey1

In September I flew from Boston to Heathrow with Vrigin. I was able to check in online and print my boarding pass too (I was doing carry on luggage)


As they were making the pre boarding announcements at the gate, they called out about 20 names...mine included....to come up and check in with the agent.

That's when they checked our passports.

The Backwards Man

Which airline is the actual booking with? If your booking is with BA you can select your seats on the Aer Lingus flight but you can't check in until 30 hours before. BA check in is 24 hours beforehand.

Not sure how it works if it's an Aer Lingus booking, I imagine you would be able to check in to the first leg 30 days beforehand but still be 24 hours for the BA leg.

January

Booking is through BA I cant select seats for the aer lingus leg to London but can on the London to Las Vegas leg.

dani049

I flew the same route, had to wait and check in at airport

The Backwards Man

January wrote: »

Booking is through BA I cant select seats for the aer lingus leg to London but can on the London to Las Vegas leg.

When you go to select seats on the Aer Lingus site there's an option to click if booked through a third party, then give your BA booking reference, name and date of flight, and the Aer Lingus flight number, not the BA one. You should be able to select seats then.

To get the Aer Lingus flight number, go through the motions of booking the same flight on their website.

biddywiddy

The Backwards Man wrote: »

When you go to select seats on the Aer Lingus site there's an option to click if booked through a third party, then give your BA booking reference, name and date of flight, and the Aer Lingus flight number, not the BA one. You should be able to select seats then.

To get the Aer Lingus flight number, go through the motions of booking the same flight on their website.

I did try this for my upcoming flights (I have separate record locators and flight numbers for the AL and the Virgin flights in my booking) and it didn't work for me.

The ticket is held by Virgin (the transatlantic flight is with them), and their staff could not access the AL seat plan.

So, for some reason, that third party option doesn't work all the time. I have a itinerary of six flights, which could add extra complications, but the fact that Virgin couldn't access the seat plan could mean that the same will apply to BA. I was assured that I am booked on the AL flight (I was starting to panic when the record locator didn't work on their website).

EDIT: OK, I just called Aer Lingus. They have confirmed my booking, but I can only reserve a seat during check-in online (30 hours before my flight at the earliest) or at the airport. There is an option to reserve a seat (for a fee!) when booking your flight, but as we were booked through a third party, this option doesn't apply.

TL;DR: AL will only allow free seat selection during online check-in or at the airport.

OP - Checking in for your AL flight online will allow you to select seats. You can either print out your boarding pass then or get it at the airport. Usually, the boarding pass for your second flight will be issued at the airport too.

January

I think I'll just check in at the airport and save myself all the fuss :eek:

Going to pay for fast track security too...

chocksaway

I'm doing this flight in February. The flight to london is with aer lingus too so am I correct in thinking that once I check my baggage in with aer lingus it's directed straight on to las vegas?

biddywiddy

Yes.

Aer Lingus desk staff will confirm this when they are tagging your bag. If they don't, ask. My parents flew to the US earlier this year and their bags were not tagged with their final destination. They never thought to ask at check-in and just assumed the bags would go through. They hadn't booked the two flights separately - they were on the same ticket - so not sure what happened. Their bags were flown in on a later flight.

McSween

chocksaway wrote: »

I'm doing this flight in February. The flight to london is with aer lingus too so am I correct in thinking that once I check my baggage in with aer lingus it's directed straight on to las vegas?

Tweet Aer Lingus. I did the other day and Virgin replied and said they were check partners with Aer Lingus and my bags will go from dub-lgw-mco as long as they were on one ticket.

January

Once you booked all the flights together (as in you didn't book the Dub-Lon leg separate) then they should check your bags all the way through but just double check on check in just in case.