Expedited screening (the PreCheck line) is not a guarantee, even if you have PreCheck. https://www.tsa.gov/travel/frequently-asked-questions/if-i-a... Conversely, I've talked with people that travel often or are older/a certain demographic that often receive PreCheck, even though they haven't paid for it etc.
If the ticket doesn’t have the pre check number on it, it’s guaranteed you’re going through security.
Tickets themselves don't have your PreCheck number on them, but the number is provided when purchasing the ticket (possibly can be provided later as well.) OP indicated "our numbers were entered correctly" so I assume they provided their PreCheck numbers at some point in the process.
The ticket itself is not valid, because you obviously can't get on a flight that has already left. But the ticket still has value (what you paid for it) because you didn't use it. I have never missed a flight before, but I've also never heard of anyone in the US losing the value of their ticket because they missed their flight. I saw a video recently of a person who was denied boarding due to being visibly intoxicate…
>I saw a video recently of a person who was denied boarding due to being visibly intoxicated. The process started with the gate agent offering to book them on another flight, and devolved into the person being banned from the airline. But they still received a full refund for their unused ticket. More that a decade ago I was doing standards work in Amsterdam, after a long weekend of sitting in a conference room with…
That's a great story.
When traveling, easy to be surprised at what aspects of my behavior would be considered way out of the local ordinary...
Boarded a plane today. Me and my son both have pre check. His digital boarding pass didn’t have pre check on it. They sent him to regular security. I walked through with his paper boarding pass (we got when checking luggage), so he had to go get another one. His second boarding pass had pre check on it. Whatever this system is, this is ridiculous. These tickets were bought together, and our numbers were entered corre…
Expedited screening (the PreCheck line) is not a guarantee, even if you have PreCheck. https://www.tsa.gov/travel/frequently-asked-questions/if-i-a... Conversely, I've talked with people that travel often or are older/a certain demographic that often receive PreCheck, even though they haven't paid for it etc.
I think just having PreCheck doesn’t guarantee you get PreCheck but I’m pretty sure you do always get PreCheck if you have Global Entry.
Boarded a plane today. Me and my son both have pre check. His digital boarding pass didn’t have pre check on it. They sent him to regular security. I walked through with his paper boarding pass (we got when checking luggage), so he had to go get another one. His second boarding pass had pre check on it. Whatever this system is, this is ridiculous. These tickets were bought together, and our numbers were entered corre…
And that may not be all that's needed. I recently went through the TSA Precheck line (my ticket had the little Pre heck logo on it) but the check-in dude did not give me the laminated poster board that said "Precheck" on it. I don't fly often enough to have noticed, so when I got to the security apparatus 15 feet further I was treated as non-Precheck. It did not matter that I could show my ticket had the appropriate…
What is most ridiculous about all the rules of security theater is that its toothless. I have seen multiple people jump the security line, just walk up around it and throw their stuff on the conveyer ahead of people, then they walk immediately into the scanner cutting off whoever was about to get in next. Some people in line say something out loud but most people just stand there stunned. TSA agents didn't even flinch. I think they are trained not to confront people who line jump, and the line jumpers are taking advantage of that big time, at least at the big busy airports.
Just imagine if other forms of transport used the same ticketing system... "I'm sorry sir, you can't get on the 09:03 Southbound Red Line express subway because you didn't check in 40 minutes before departure. Check in has now closed, so you'll have to buy a new ticket."
Far too many industries these days are switching to this airline model of screwing the customer who has no choice but to go for this particular industry. Dynamic pricing is terrible. Either sell out your inventory or don't.
And that may not be all that's needed. I recently went through the TSA Precheck line (my ticket had the little Pre heck logo on it) but the check-in dude did not give me the laminated poster board that said "Precheck" on it. I don't fly often enough to have noticed, so when I got to the security apparatus 15 feet further I was treated as non-Precheck. It did not matter that I could show my ticket had the appropriate…
What is most ridiculous about all the rules of security theater is that its toothless. I have seen multiple people jump the security line, just walk up around it and throw their stuff on the conveyer ahead of people, then they walk immediately into the scanner cutting off whoever was about to get in next. Some people in line say something out loud but most people just stand there stunned. TSA agents didn't even flinc…
I was that person once, but it was because my BP wouldn’t scan. (Bad print). Dude told me where to reprint and when I got back a few minutes later and barged my way to the front, he had already vanished. Ugh, but nobody really questioned.
Then again, they probably wouldn’t remember who it was.
This is really interesting. As a non-U.S. based and infrequent traveller, I had always just assumed that you lost the value of the ticket if you missed the trip. I never really understood sitcoms where no one seems to care if they missed their flights or not, but this would make a lot of sense.
Having flow a lot after living in different countries, the US major airlines used to be pretty flexible compared to others. I can recall landing at a connecting airport, strolling up to a gate for an earlier flight and asking if I could switch and after checking it was usually “sure”. Missed flights rebooked, etc. I recall connecting in Vancouver with Air Canada and asking the same and the answer was “thatll be $130…
> I can recall landing at a connecting airport, strolling up to a gate for an earlier flight and asking if I could switch and after checking it was usually “sure”.
They kinda like it when you do this: it gives them more flexibility. Better to keep the later flights in the day emptier just in case there’s a sudden need. And reduces their chances of owing you compensation.
It's pointless. You need to check your luggage and verify your documents anyway, electronic check-in is a waste of time... I used to do it, now I don't.
I guess it depends? For business travel it’s carry on only and documents are verified at security. I had the process down perfectly where I could leave home and be at the gate, ready to board, 30 minutes later. Jump out of the cab, go to pre-check line, 5 min later walking to gate. Without online check-in that would be impossible.
covid ruined this in a lot of places. They’d verify your vaccination/negative test status at check-in.
Some airlines would let you upload everything in advance, but many preferred to have things checked by the local check-In agents.
On many airlines they use check-in as a way to try to upsell you on higher priced seats or other services.
I often am a sucker for those. I'm 188cm tall (6'2-ish). Long legs. For about $10 per hour of flight time, I'll pay more for a couple extra inches of leg room. During boarding, I have sometimes mentioned to the boarding agent or air staff that if someone in an exit row isn't able to perform the exit row duties, I'm happy to trade seats. A couple of times it's even worked.
I paid for the "upgrade" behind the empty exit row on a transatlantic flight once and it was kind of the worst flight I ever had.
Usually only my legs hurt from being cramped in but on that flight we were somehow sitting directly in the vent of the A/C - it was the first time I needed a blanket and had a sore throat after just a few hours in the plane. Getting up and moving 3m to the left it was completely fine, so surely not just coincidentally getting a cold... And the entertainment/cupholder foldout thingy also was really flimsy and weird.