EasyJet to close airport check-in desks

[Sparky]

Taken from Majorca Daily Bulletin . Grupo Serra Newspaper . Daily Press . News in English . Online Digital Information . Palma of Majorca Balearic Islands Spain. majorca daily bulletin. grupo serra newspaper . daily press . news in english . online digital info

EasyJet is changing its check-in desks to bag drop desks from April 30 in a bid to encourage more passengers to check-in online.
Passengers will be able to check-in at the airport desks during a transitional period but should only be used in “exceptional circumstances”.
The check-in desks will be transformed into bag-drop desks instead.
The spokesman added that there will not be a charge levied on passengers who still check-in at the airport during the transitional period.
The spokesman said 80% of passengers already check-in online and this move is aimed at making the airport journey easier and quicker for more passengers.
He added that the airline would be working with its partners, including travel agents, to urge them to encourage their customers to check-in online. “We will be using all our channels and working with our partners who are selling seats on our behalf,” he said. “Everyone, including the airports are very aligned with it,” he added.

 

[Ronnie]

Taken from Majorca Daily Bulletin . Grupo Serra Newspaper . Daily Press . News in English . Online Digital Information . Palma of Majorca Balearic Islands Spain. majorca daily bulletin. grupo serra newspaper . daily press . news in english . online digital info

EasyJet is changing its check-in desks to bag drop desks from April 30 in a bid to encourage more passengers to check-in online.
Passengers will be able to check-in at the airport desks during a transitional period but should only be used in “exceptional circumstances”.
The check-in desks will be transformed into bag-drop desks instead.
The spokesman added that there will not be a charge levied on passengers who still check-in at the airport during the transitional period.
The spokesman said 80% of passengers already check-in online and this move is aimed at making the airport journey easier and quicker for more passengers.
He added that the airline would be working with its partners, including travel agents, to urge them to encourage their customers to check-in online. “We will be using all our channels and working with our partners who are selling seats on our behalf,” he said. “Everyone, including the airports are very aligned with it,” he added.

We all have desktops and laptops, but what about people who do not, or cannot afford one,or have no idea how to work one!!!!!.
If Easyjet are starting booking online, how soon will every other airline follow suit?????. Just a Thought!!!

 

[sws97sdg]

I was surprised it was as much as 80% already!

 

[marilyn]

Also if you haven't a suitable mobile you need access to a printer. Not so many internet cafes around nowadays.

Perhaps they ciukd let you print both lots of boarding passes before the outbound flight ratber than only 24 hours before each flight.

 

[sws97sdg]

Do they not do that anyway, I print out both sets 30 days before travel?

 

[marilyn]

Thats good then. I haven't flown Eaxyjet for 3 years and I think it used tobe 24 hours before like BA.

 

[animagic21]

The thing is you still have to queue at the bagdrop.....we certainly did in January!!!

 

[Mark]

When it is all bag drop there will be more bag drop desks so hopefully not so long queues.

If 15 manual check ins are replaced with 5 bag drops that's a few less staff to pay and more bag drops than before

When everyone has been 'conditioned' into online check in only and bag drop queues there is then the opportunity to Launch Speedy bag drop plus for a fee

 

[Luckyone]

When it is all bag drop there will be more bag drop desks so hopefully not so long queues.

If 15 manual check ins are replaced with 5 bag drops that's a few less staff to pay and more bag drops than before

When everyone has been 'conditioned' into online check in only and bag drop queues there is then the opportunity to Launch Speedy bag drop plus for a fee

Hi,

Have checked in on line with a few airlines over recent years and the so called 'Bag Drop'. Also, paid fast track up the queue so to speak but - when we get to the desk we have found no signficant shorting of time 'at the desk'.

Am I missing something? Hope so.

Lucky

 

[kate1]

Also if you haven't a suitable mobile you need access to a printer. Not so many internet cafes around nowadays.

Perhaps they ciukd let you print both lots of boarding passes before the outbound flight ratber than only 24 hours before each flight.

I think you've always been able to print both lots of boarding passes - certainly the last couple of times I've done that with no problems.

EDIT: sorry, didn't see SWS's post!

 

[Mark]

Hi,

Have checked in on line with a few airlines over recent years and the so called 'Bag Drop'. Also, paid fast track up the queue so to speak but - when we get to the desk we have found no signficant shorting of time 'at the desk'.

Am I missing something? Hope so.

Lucky

It is the checking in online where you are going wrong

based on experience with easyjet the fastest way is to pay for a pre allocated seat that has 'speedy boarding plus' and then you have the dedicated check in desk for manual check in.

At Liverpool on our February holiday the normal desks had a long snaking queue, the 'speedy boarding plus' desk had a member of staff sat there with not much to do, we walked straight to the desk and where checked in within a minute or two, dagger eyes from the people in the long queue that makes you feel like you have pushed in, it only cost £8 extra for the seats so was worth it for me.

The same on the return journey, massive long queue at normal desks we walked straight to the 'speedy check in' desk and took about a minute or two

So although I take the Michael (O'leary ) from easyjet I do hope there is a speedy bag drop included with the more expensive seats as I dont want to stand in the long queue at bag drops as some people are just so slow at handing a bag over. You know the ones, they cant find their printout or passports even though they have been stood there for 20 minutes and then ask lots of questions....

 

[Luckyone]

It is the checking in online where you are going wrong

based on experience with easyjet the fastest way is to pay for a pre allocated seat that has 'speedy boarding plus' and then you have the dedicated check in desk for manual check in.

At Liverpool on our February holiday the normal desks had a long snaking queue, the 'speedy boarding plus' desk had a member of staff sat there with not much to do, we walked straight to the desk and where checked in within a minute or two, dagger eyes from the people in the long queue that makes you feel like you have pushed in, it only cost £8 extra for the seats so was worth it for me.

The same on the return journey, massive long queue at normal desks we walked straight to the 'speedy check in' desk and took about a minute or two

So although I take the Michael (O'leary ) from easyjet I do hope there is a speedy bag drop included with the more expensive seats as I dont want to stand in the long queue at bag drops as some people are just so slow at handing a bag over. You know the ones, they cant find their printout or passports even though they have been stood there for 20 minutes and then ask lots of questions....

Yes I know what you mean, don't understand what is difficult about having your docs ready.

My issue is, if all desks become bagdrops (for hold baggage) no matter which airline, there will be queues which I hate. All part of the holiday!

 

[cumberland8]

If every one still has to do bag drops having checked in on line there is still going to be a que because they still ask you the same questions & input your passport?

 

[Mark]

An update based on our May 2013 holiday.

Arrived at Liverpool at 07:30 am.

Walked through the revolving door into the terminal building to see a long queue that started just inside the door all the way to the start of the orange tape 'zig zag' queue area that was full of people.
People where having to queue to get into the queueing area.....

We had paid for seats that included Speedy boarding and luckily there is still a speedy boarding bag drop desk and no customers where there, walked straight to it and handed the suitcases in which must have saved at least an hour in a queue.

On the return journey from Palma it was just the same, a wide and fairly long queue of people that where queuing to get into the full orange tape queueing area, the speedy boarding bag drop desks had two members of staff with only one person dropping bags off, walked straight to it and bags dropped off within a minute or two

I would say if you have not paid for speedy boarding then arrive in plenty of time and expect a very long queue at the bag drop desks !

School holiday weeks are going to be interesting at bag drops

 

[sws97sdg]

They are moving to being able to board using your smart phone to save printing out boarding passes, you will be able to show the copy of pass as you get on, saw someone do this coming back form Rome recently, even easier!!

 

[pollensafan]

No more queue's at the check in desk. All that happened at palma was they were queuing from the bottom of the escalators all the way up to security. 45 minutes to get through. all they have done is get rid of one blockage and replace it with another. God help them when the season kicks in.

 

[Belladonna]

It certainly is not working any better than before it changed to online printing. Queues are longer and people get pretty fed up, (Gatwick) especially those with babies and pushchairs! A lot of mumbling about forcing people to pay the extra for speedy boarding in order to get a decent service, let alone a better one!

 

[eleanor]

Certainly crazy on our return last week. Ques for everything everywhere!

We had a jobs worth at the Easyjet desk. Having weighed our case before arrving at the desk we were happy with our 19.5kg for a 20kg allowance. Oh No!! Guess who's luggage weighed in at more? Yep you guessed. They wanted either 17 or 70 Euros for the extra couple of kilos - neither of us could hear or understand what jobsworth was saying! So I decided I wasn't having this so took Mum's bottle out of the case to have it grabbed from me. Ok fine I will buy once through but that wasn't enough - they wanted more so out came the jumpers to wear. We got the bag to the accepted 20kg to be told to then place it on the scales on the next check in as that one was now closing. We had a shock to see that the next set of scales weighed much heavier than our 20kg and off they went again asking for money. Husband said no and would be requesting a check on all their scales to which people behine were also by this time becoming angry with what was happening. They let us through.

On our return home we weighed the case using 2 different scales and both registered 18.5 Totally disgusting! Not sure if this Easyjet or airport related but either way just not good! I wonder how many people just pay up?

 

[smg]

we did last time, for 1 kg over, just for an easy life, as we were very late due to huge queue through terminal, as only 5 desks open on half-term Saturday return - not even time for a wee, let alone eat/drink/shop, despite getting there 2 1/4 hours before flight time

we've noticed that the scales at Gatwick always seem to weigh heavy compared to our scales - the butcher's thumb? - but never challenged there as we've always still been within limits...time for a Watchdog investigation? (are they still going?)

 

[eleanor]

This really is bad and always in their interests isn't it? I would assume that the scales would be checked here in the UK but no idea in Mallorca. It is fraud though isn't it? Is it down to the airline or the actual airport. This was Easyjet desk with uniformed Easyjet staff so I would conclude it is an Easyjet problem.

Just fed up constantly being ripped off AND they kept my gin!!