EasyJet to close airport check-in desks
 

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!!!

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

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.

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

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

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

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:rolleyes:

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

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!

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 :o that makes you feel like you have pushed in:o, 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 :D) 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!

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?

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 :rolleyes:

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!! :)