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Last friday i was very early at the airport to drop off a friend of me who was leaving for Zurich.. As an aviation enthusiast offcourse i spent some time at he airport.
The thing that noticed me was the long check in time at the check-in counters of UA. For so far as i know, there are 3 flights leaving every morning. And to my suprise there where only 5 check-in counters open! 2 for Business and First and only 3 for Economy !! You could see the frustration on the passengers faces. Especially in the Business row.
On saturday 18 february I flew with United to IAD. I was at the check-in at 10.00 am. Two long queues : for ecnonomy and for first/business.
I take this flight 2-3 times per year, and this was the first time the queu was that long.
Maybe they are staffed only for 2 flights (to IAD and ORD), and not for the ex-Continental flight to EWR ?
We arrived at the airport at 9.00 so we would have some time for a late breakfast at the airport, and when we saw the long line at check-in, we were happy we arrived 3 hours early. We were lucky the line at the security was very short this time so we could still have a coffee and something small to eat...
However, when we flew Delta to Atlanta 5 years ago, I remember there was a long line there as well. I thought it was normal for flights to the US...
On my UA flight last year there were also long waiting times. But, as I had already checked in online and filled in all my visa requirements etc., I was given priority and I could skip a large part of the waiting line.
matsATC wrote:
However, when we flew Delta to Atlanta 5 years ago, I remember there was a long line there as well. I thought it was normal for flights to the US...
Well Delta now, looks organised to me. They have 7 or 8 Check-in counters for 2 flights if i am not mistaken.
American 4 counters for 1 flight and US Airways also 4 counters...
About 1,5 years ago, I took the UA flight to IAD. Check-in went very smoothly, no long queue, I was checked-in in about 15 minutes. But I was already at the airport nearly three hours in advance. If I remember correctly, this was also recommended by Brussels Airport.
I don't know if that's the reason, but UA recently changed the check-in system. My guess is that some check-in staff have to familiarize, and thus giving longer waiting lines.
!! You could see the frustration on the passengers faces. Especially in the Business row.
