curbside baggage checkin

Hi,

For all my previous airline trips, I've traveled light and carried my
luggage on board. However, next week I'm going SEA-SCL via DFW, and
I'm bringing a duffel bag full of stuff for a friend who lives in
Argentina. It's a weird collection of odds and ends, including tools,
parts of an antenna, and books.

I'm imagining the airline personnel wanting to search the duffel bag.
No problem. But I'm intrigued about the idea of using curbside
checkin. It seems worth it to spend a $5 tip to avoid standing in
line and watching my luggage being opened up.

Is there any downside to using curbside check-in in this situation?

Also, I'm going to use Internet checkin for the first time, and I'm
wondering if it makes a difference that my companion and I booked the
tickets together, so both of our names are on the itinerary. I am
prepared to plug in my AA FF # in order to checkin electronically, but
will I also need to know my companion's FF # ? And what if he doesn't
have a FF account?

I love reading this forum, any comments are appreciated.

On 13 Feb 2004 21:44:32 -0800, (Annabella
Lumbergo) wrote:

Hi,

For all my previous airline trips, I've traveled light and carried my
luggage on board. However, next week I'm going SEA-SCL via DFW, and
I'm bringing a duffel bag full of stuff for a friend who lives in
Argentina. It's a weird collection of odds and ends, including tools,
parts of an antenna, and books.

I'm imagining the airline personnel wanting to search the duffel bag.
No problem. But I'm intrigued about the idea of using curbside
checkin. It seems worth it to spend a $5 tip to avoid standing in
line and watching my luggage being opened up.

Is there any downside to using curbside check-in in this situation?



Easy choice...curbside check in isn't available internationally in the
US..

Annabella Lumbergo wrote:

Hi,

For all my previous airline trips, I've traveled light and carried my
luggage on board. However, next week I'm going SEA-SCL via DFW, and
I'm bringing a duffel bag full of stuff for a friend who lives in
Argentina. It's a weird collection of odds and ends, including tools,
parts of an antenna, and books.

I'm imagining the airline personnel wanting to search the duffel bag.
No problem. But I'm intrigued about the idea of using curbside
checkin. It seems worth it to spend a $5 tip to avoid standing in
line and watching my luggage being opened up.

Is there any downside to using curbside check-in in this situation?

Also, I'm going to use Internet checkin for the first time, and I'm
wondering if it makes a difference that my companion and I booked the
tickets together, so both of our names are on the itinerary. I am
prepared to plug in my AA FF # in order to checkin electronically, but
will I also need to know my companion's FF # ? And what if he doesn't
have a FF account?

I love reading this forum, any comments are appreciated.

I've heard that of all lost bagage, 80% was checked in at curb side.
Anyone know if this is true?

"Dick Locke" wrote in message
...
On 13 Feb 2004 21:44:32 -0800, (Annabella
Lumbergo) wrote:



Easy choice...curbside check in isn't available internationally in the
US..

I tried to use curbside checkin at SEA when flying to Washington Dulles. I
was told that while I could check my bags there I would still have to wait
in line to get my boarding pass. No there was no point.

Regarding the Internet boarding passes--all you have to do is go to the AA
website and log into your AAvantage account and then go to "your
reservations" There you will find what you have booked. Go to the bottom of
the page and click on the check-in button--you can check in everyone on your
PNR up to 30 hours before departure. You can also look at the seat
assignments and make changes if you wish.

Lately I've had good luck in picking middle section seats in the rear of
wide body planes for international flghts--I had an entire row of 4 on a 777
last Saturday from DFW to LGW and a row of 3 from CDG to DFW on Thursday.
This can make all the difference if you are crossing timezones and need to
be fresh for business meetings. Why pay ten times more for business class
when you can get more room in coach by grabbing multiple seats?

Other observations--drinks are no longer free on AA international
flights--$5. They no longer give you the little hot towels before landing.

gee - tell that to NW in SEATTLE - Last time (Nov) I went out (AMS) it WAS
available - and so was the printed-off-the-internet boarding pass that the
skycap took to match bag to flight

"Dick Locke" wrote in message
...
On 13 Feb 2004 21:44:32 -0800, (Annabella
Lumbergo) wrote:

Hi,

For all my previous airline trips, I've traveled light and carried my
luggage on board. However, next week I'm going SEA-SCL via DFW, and
I'm bringing a duffel bag full of stuff for a friend who lives in
Argentina. It's a weird collection of odds and ends, including tools,
parts of an antenna, and books.

I'm imagining the airline personnel wanting to search the duffel bag.
No problem. But I'm intrigued about the idea of using curbside
checkin. It seems worth it to spend a $5 tip to avoid standing in
line and watching my luggage being opened up.

Is there any downside to using curbside check-in in this situation?



Easy choice...curbside check in isn't available internationally in the
US..

On Sun, 15 Feb 2004 17:13:30 GMT, "DALing"
daling43[delete]-at-hotmail.com wrote:

gee - tell that to NW in SEATTLE - Last time (Nov) I went out (AMS) it WAS
available - and so was the printed-off-the-internet boarding pass that the
skycap took to match bag to flight

Easy choice...curbside check in isn't available internationally in the
US..


Hmmm, could my information be, err, outdated?

Any other stories from elsewhere?

"Dick Locke" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 15 Feb 2004 17:13:30 GMT, "DALing"
daling43[delete]-at-hotmail.com wrote:

gee - tell that to NW in SEATTLE - Last time (Nov) I went out (AMS) it
WAS
available - and so was the printed-off-the-internet boarding pass that
the
skycap took to match bag to flight

Easy choice...curbside check in isn't available internationally in the
US..


Hmmm, could my information be, err, outdated?

Any other stories from elsewhere?

Forget about the rules & the stories. I don't use curbside. The less
people that handle my luggage, the better.

Jim Davis Sr. wrote:

Forget about the rules & the stories. I don't use curbside. The less
people that handle my luggage, the better.


In many airports, you check curbside and the bag goes on the conveyer belt.
How does this make more people handle it than giving it to the agent at
the counter who puts it on the conveyer belt?

"mrtravelkay" wrote in message
. com...
Jim Davis Sr. wrote:

Forget about the rules & the stories. I don't use curbside. The less
people that handle my luggage, the better.


In many airports, you check curbside and the bag goes on the conveyer
belt.
How does this make more people handle it than giving it to the agent at
the counter who puts it on the conveyer belt?

Not all airports have conveyors at the curb. They pile it on carts, then
wheel it inside. I've seen bags fall off. I've seen unattended carts. I
personally don't care for it.