American Airlines enhances Online Flight Check-In, adds option for international trav

[gmalet]

FORT WORTH, Texas PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Airlines today announced an enhancement to its online flight check-in process that provides online check-in capability for passengers traveling internationally.

Through online flight check-in at AA.com, customers traveling both domestically, and now internationally, can check in for their flight and subsequently print or e-mail their boarding pass, from anywhere in the world.

"Online check-in enables customers to avoid an extra stop and head straight to the gate, saving valuable time when traveling," said Derek DeCross, American Airlines Managing Director – Interactive Marketing. "This new enhancement to AA.com is another step in our efforts to help simplify the entire travel experience for our customers, whether they're looking for flight deals, car rentals, hotel stays, or even cruises and activities. Over the next few months, we will make further enhancements."

Customers can access flight check-in via the AA.com homepage or by visiting www.aa.com/findreservation and can check in two to 24 hours before international flights and one to 24 hours before domestic flights. Customers can then locate their flight reservation using either their AAdvantage® login or their full name as it appears in travel documents, along with their six digit flight record locator.

Passengers traveling to International destinations will also need their passport information and will only be able to check in for flights to destinations where they have met international travel requirements. After customers locate their itinerary, the AA.com flight check-in process provides easy-to-use prompts for guidance through the appropriate steps.

Once the check-in process is complete, passengers will have the option to print their boarding pass immediately from the confirmation page, e-mail their boarding pass to print later, or receive their boarding passes electronically on their mobile phones or PDAs (available in select cities only). For more details regarding online flight check-in at AA.com, customers can visit www.aa.com/checkin.

The new AA.com enhancements go hand-in-hand with American's strategy to strengthen its global network through its oneworld® Alliance partnerships to enhance competition and customer benefits in the trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific markets, including:

Japan Airlines continued and expanding relationship with the oneworld Alliance, including its filing for a joint business agreement with American for trans-Pacific flights.

Tentative approval by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for antitrust immunity for American and British Airways, Iberia, Royal Jordanian and Finnair, as well as Americans plans to operate a joint business between North America and Europe with British Airways and Iberia.

American's DOT application to operate year-round scheduled service to Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) starting Oct. 1, 2010.

Additionally, American recently announced plans to expand its international presence out of New York, adding three new routes between John F. Kennedy International Airport and San Jose, Costa Rica; Madrid, Spain; and Manchester, England.

American is a founding member of the Oneworld Alliance, which serves 800 airports in nearly 150 countries, with some 9,000 daily departures.

[psriches]

I'll continue to use the check in Kiosk at the airport so i can request emergency row seating.

[mikelodge]

I'll continue to use the check in Kiosk at the airport so i can request emergency row seating.

I assume you know this but for those that don't. When you look at your reservation online and check seats you can change your seat assignment to any open seat in the class you paid for.

They block the Emergency Exit rows so that in theory you have to get them from a ticket or gate agent at the airport so that they can see that you are physically capable of assisting. That is a FAA thing sort of so they say:lol:.

Depending on the aircraft the only advantage to an exit row would be in some cases more leg room. If it is an exit row back by the wing you end up getting off the plane much later and having to wait behind pain in the asses like me at the rental car counter or whatever.

The exit rows on 757's for example behind first class are the most desirable for both the leg room and to getting off faster and to that waiting cold beer or warm pussy.

Now the good part, beg-bribe-or become such a pain in the ass to the airline that they assign a person to you to solve all your problems. Assuming of course you fly enough and actually have some legit problems like canceled and delayed flights and many other things like lost luggage (not me with carryon) which we all will encounter soon enough.

If you email and call and email and call eventually you may get a name and number of someone with a little authority like a customer service managers direct extension and email. They can release those seats on the phone even though they deny it. Just my 2 and a half cents.

[Tony Toca]

Interesting side note about a change with continental. Last month at check in at EWR I requested an exit row and was informed that it would cost $69. Jetblue does the same but t is only $20.

[ElPlomero]

Interesting side note about a change with continental. Last month at check in at EWR I requested an exit row and was informed that it would cost $69. Jetblue does the same but t is only $20.

$69 is a bit much, but I'd pay $20 for that. That's righteous.

[ElPlomero]

This makes me so happy.

I never check bags if I'm not taking goodies for someone, so it's a total waste of time for me.

Hopefully, they will allow you to say you're checking bags and have a streamlined process for dropping them off.

I know... That would be too much to ask for.

Maybe you can choose exit row seats at that time.

[JD426]

Interesting side note about a change with continental. Last month at check in at EWR I requested an exit row and was informed that it would cost $69. Jetblue does the same but t is only $20.
If youre gonna do that, then might as well upgrade to First class for as low as $58, with Continental.

I should have mentioned , thats within the 24 hour window of departure only though.
EldoRob just showed me this trick on the way back, it was quite nice not having to travel with the common folk in coach.
LOLLL

[mikelodge]

If youre gonna do that, then might as well upgrade to First class for as low as $58, with Continental.

That is cheap for a first class upgrade. American MSP to MIA charges $135 for the upgrade. Not worth it to me on the 6am flight but when I go late in the day out of Chicago the meal and drinks make it worth it.

[BigDave]

I'll continue to use the check in Kiosk at the airport so i can request emergency row seating.

Unless they changed this recently I was always able to do this online (book a emergency aisle) within the 24 hour before check in period . (Continental)
Depending on what kind of plane and airline, sometimes I've found the emergency row is the same legroom, and in some cases, the seats don't recline, so that makes it worse than a regular seat.

Thats why I usually try to get 1st class upgrade with miles, at least for the ride home. It might be cheaper if you wait till flight day, but you risk it not being available. I paid 30K miles for round trip upgrades. Works out to about $300 value. Better than paying full price 1st class, but I've seen them for $89 (each leg?) if it's available close to when you fly.

[ElPlomero]

If youre gonna do that, then might as well upgrade to First class for as low as $58, with Continental.

I should have mentioned , thats within the 24 hour window of departure only though.
EldoRob just showed me this trick on the way back, it was quite nice not having to travel with the common folk in coach.
LOLLL

Sometimes... in fact, most times with AA to MDE, first class is $1000.

I think I'd take the exit row instead.

Continental makes you take 3 times as long and go through Houston and Panama.

I'll pass.

I bet if you check... you'd see that Continental to POP is not normally less than $100 more for first class.