Across the Pond

[slidergirl]

5 hours ago, Flymia said:

 

How long ago was that? I want to say that with the new IFE/layout that is no longer a big issue. I don't see anything on Seat Guru about it. But I do remember reading on this and I seem to remember that being a problem on the older layout of the 772 when it was 2-5-2. Now it is 3-4-3 with an updated IFE. 

 

 

Of course, but even not including cruises, travel to Europe peeks in the summer. There are usually very good prices to head to Europe around this time of year. Sometimes under $600 round trip of even cheaper in the winter, unless it is around Christmas and New Years. 

 

Seatguru still mentioned this issue with the 772 - they call it "layout 1".  The "layout 2" seems to be the one where the boxes aren't an issue.   My flights were a few years back, about 5.  On the flight home, LHR-LAX, I got a bulkhead aisle.  Thought I was OK, but it was where the aisle does a little jog and narrows.  The FAs kept hitting my legs when they went by - I started to think it was on purpose, especially when they came by with a cart...

[FlyerTalker]

5 hours ago, slidergirl said:

 

I forget where I am every d&mn day... 😉

 

 

Look to the left on your posts...you are " Exactly where I want to be"  🙂

 

[slidergirl]

17 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Look to the left on your posts...you are " Exactly where I want to be"  🙂

 

 

Which is why I never know where I am, but I'm where I am... 😉   Sorry - 3 weeks of work with only 1 day/week off, it's wearing on me - I couldn't remember what day of the week it has been lately!  Perils of working in a major resort area...

 

[Bases5]

Thanks everyone for your answers. I couple more questions.

 

I was reading on AA website that you can use their app for your boarding pass and check-in.

 When I go to the app there is no where to check in under my reservation. I know you can't check until 24 hours before the flight. 

Does this area populate on the app at the 24 hour mark? 

 

Do you all still take printed tickets with you? or just use the app?

 

 I know you can bring 1 carry on per person,  I was reading that if there is no room in he overhead compartment your carryon could be checked. If that is the case are you charged the $200 fee for the second check bag?

 

Is their any other things in flight or at the airport you think might be helpful?  I flew all the time when I was younger but things have certainly changed.  What's a app? LOL

 

 

[sumiandkage]

I always print a paper  boarding pass even with a digital boarding pass in both phone app and digital wallet. I've had occasions where the airline's  scanner software was having problems with digital passes and other times when I was having phone issues on my end while in the airport so it's an easy back-up precaution. 

 

If you do frequent flyer miles, it's also useful to keep the paper passes until the miles credit correctly to your account. Some airlines will ask for the paper passes as proof of the flight is there is a crediting problem. 

[slidergirl]

20 hours ago, Bases5 said:

Thanks everyone for your answers. I couple more questions.

 

I was reading on AA website that you can use their app for your boarding pass and check-in.

 When I go to the app there is no where to check in under my reservation. I know you can't check until 24 hours before the flight. 

Does this area populate on the app at the 24 hour mark? 

 

Do you all still take printed tickets with you? or just use the app?

 

 I know you can bring 1 carry on per person,  I was reading that if there is no room in he overhead compartment your carryon could be checked. If that is the case are you charged the $200 fee for the second check bag?

 

Is their any other things in flight or at the airport you think might be helpful?  I flew all the time when I was younger but things have certainly changed.  What's a app? LOL

 

 

 

The app will populate the "check in" stuff when your flight is open for check in.

I use the app; but I do print one out at home just for "in case" - lose my phone, phone runs out of juice, immigration wants to be sure I didn't cross illegally in the desert...

Bring some snacks - you don't get much at all in cattle class.  

Buy a big bottle of water before you get on the plane - you can hydrate in place and not have to keep walking back to the galley after the FAs do their one pass...

Bring your own earphones/headphones - those they hand out are terrible.

 

[waterbug123]

On 2/9/2019 at 4:34 PM, Bases5 said:

Does this area populate on the app at the 24 hour mark? 

 

Do you all still take printed tickets with you? or just use the app?

 

 I know you can bring 1 carry on per person,  I was reading that if there is no room in he overhead compartment your carryon could be checked. If that is the case are you charged the $200 fee for the second check bag?

 

Is their any other things in flight or at the airport you think might be helpful?  I flew all the time when I was younger but things have certainly changed.  What's a app? LOL

 

 

 

Yes, once you are within the time frame to check-in, that area should populate on the app.

 

I like to have a printed boarding pass as a back-up.  As others have said, there is nothing worse than standing behind someone whose phone decided to act up/go dead and they can't pull up their boarding pass and are thus holding up the entire line.

 

If you are forced to gate check, you should not have to pay a checked bag fee.  I know on Delta you don't, and assume it's the same on AA.   If I recall correctly, you're talking about a transatlantic flight though; being forced to gate check a bag is much less rare on TATL flights.   Since most will get a free checked bag, there always seems to be fewer folks lugging bags aboard, plus the aircraft used for these routes are bigger, with more overhead bins.

[Flymia]

As others have stated your app or online you can check in 24-hours before. If you don't see an agent at the airport check in desk, you will have to walk up to the gate agent before the flight so they can check your passports. 

 

Gate checking for wide body flights is rare, but it will be free if there is no space. You can bring one carry on luggage and one personal item per-person. I usually bring a bag that is easy to fit under my seat with things like my headphones, a snack or two, iPad etc.. Just so I don't need to get up from my seat to get those items. A small duffle type bag that is easy to move around without taking up much space for my feet. 

 

I agree buy a bottle of water or two to have, if you fall asleep you'll want it as soon as you wake up. On overnight flights I usually bring loose fitting comfortable pants to change into after dinner service to be more able to get some sleep. Personally I bring some benadryl to try to get to sleep, but only do this if you are very comfortable with any supplement/OTC med and know exactly how you react to it. 

 

Other than that, enjoy the flight. On an 8-hour early departing flight like this I think anything in the range of 3-4 hours of sleep is a win, and usually what I try to get. Will eat dinner and watch a movie and then try to sleep or put something on the tv that I have seen 100-times to get rest. 

 

 

[sumiandkage]

There may be rare occasions when someone gets a message that they cannot check in online. This is often not because there's a problem with the ticket but, Oh Joy!, someone in your party has randomly been selected for enhanced security screening. So get to the airport a little earlier than planned and if the gate agent at the counter prints out a boarding pass with the dread SSSS on it, then yep, you're going to get additional screening regardless if you've got Pre-check or Global Entry. 

[Shorex]

Another case of "not being allowed to check in online" is when a visa is required for the destination country. The gate agent physically verifies that the visa is in the passport. Just such a circumstance was mentioned recently on the Crystal board when a cruiser was flying to Brazil. Some airlines use Timatic, which is no longer available to the flying public, to verify doc requirements. Flyers can use IATA , https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/

or SkyTeam Travel Doc, https://skyteam.traveldoc.aero/

to verify their own doc requirements. NOTE: these websites are only useful for required docs to ENTER a country by air. Nothing about cruising.

[sumiandkage]

United still has a public portal to TIMATIC. (far easier to find it from a general search engine like Google than to search within United's web site)

 

https://www.united.com/web/en-us/apps/vendors/default.aspx?i=TIMATIC

[Shorex]

Good to know. Thanks.

[FlyerTalker]

TIMATIC is also available as a function of the KVS Tool (paid product).

[Globaliser]

Just now, FlyerTalker said:

TIMATIC is also available as a function of the KVS Tool (paid product).

 

And of ExpertFlyer, if you don't fancy playing the KVS whack-a-mole game.

[FlyerTalker]

3 minutes ago, Globaliser said:

And of ExpertFlyer, if you don't fancy playing the KVS whack-a-mole game.

 

Love getting those "a new version is needed" messages.  🙂

[Bases5]

Tomorrow is the big day. I wanted to thank everyone for all their help👌

  I did my check in tonight and everything went great. 

  I did have one question.  On our boarding pass it’s says. TSA pre ✅   With a green check next to it.  What does that mean 

We didn’t sign up for anything or pay extra 

[FlyerTalker]

Bonus.

 

Don't buy a lotto ticket, you used up your luck for the week.

[waterbug123]

9 hours ago, Bases5 said:

  I did have one question.  On our boarding pass it’s says. TSA pre ✅   With a green check next to it.  What does that mean 

We didn’t sign up for anything or pay extra 

 

TSA Precheck is an expedited security screening program, available at most airports in the US.  You can pay for it, you can get it as an added bonus when you pay for Global Entry, and sometimes it can be randomly assigned; that appears to be what happened to you.

If your local airport has Precheck, it's a separate security line.  You can leave your shoes, belts and light jackets on.  You can leave your 3-1-1- bag in your carry on and you can usually leave your electronics in your carry on, although recently there have been some reports of those having to come out.  Then you walk through a regular metal detector rather than a body scanner.  Still have to empty your pockets though, so put phones, keys etc. in your carry on ahead of time so you don't hold up what is supposed to be a quicker line.

[LuckyStar]

On 2/7/2019 at 4:53 AM, Bases5 said:

Thanks

We selected the first row in the back that has 2 seats per row. I thought it would give us some room without the worry of a third person. I think it the 4th row from the back.  

Oh well  like you said it’s not that long of a flight

This sounds like our flight we took from Denver to London.  It was a great way to travel with two in a row.  Wish that were more available.  We personally don't mind being in the back nearer the restrooms.  They keep you really hydrated on those long flights, so it's better to be near the loo.  We flew BA so the entertainment was free at the time. 

[fbgd]

1 hour ago, LuckyStar said:

We flew BA so the entertainment was free at the time. 

 

IFE is free on all BA flights. (unless you count wifi as IFE)