sir_eccles

Has anyone had this problem?

I am a permanent resident usually resident in Phoenix Az, I have been visiting my folks in Manchester UK. Trying to checkin for my flight back to the US on US Airways website. It doesn't let me complete checkin and print my boarding pass because "I don't have an electronic visa" and I should go to ESTA to apply online.

Phone calls with US Airways seem to indicate I should just turn up at the airport and check in then but I don't want to get refused by desk jockeys.

I am right, green card = no ESTA?

Is this just a problem with US Airways not differentiating between visitors and PRs?

Grr argh!

bruceba

You will be fine with airport check-in, no ESTA

Orangepants

Yes I always fly USAirways and have had many conversations with them about their website excluding a % of people checking in online but it goes nowhere. Just turn up and check in at the airport.

sir_eccles

Thanks for the reassurance. I think this is the first time I have been back to the UK since ESTA came in. Clearly the airlines are yet to have caught on.

Rete

This has been discussed many times ... you cannot checkin online without an ESTA which you don't have because of a green card.

The procedure is for you to checkin at the airport.

What is to catch up on????????????

You are not a visitor to the US. You are a returning permanent resident who does not require an ESTA to travel to the US.

sir_eccles

Calm down. The catch up is clearly on the airlines side which doesn't have a box to tick to say I am a permanent resident.

Marocco

My wife had a similar problem when travelling in the opposite direction. She is a USC with UK PR, and United would not let her check in online without proof of onward travel. We tried calling them, but their call center employees had no idea what we were talking about.

Rete

Can't see what the big thing is about checking in online. My daughter checked in online just after the blizzard the day after Christmas and still was not able to get on her plane. You still have to wait to check your luggage and get through customs. Check in doesn't take all that long in my experience of flying at least 3 times a year with luggage to be checked.

SEL_boy

I have to disagree - I think online check-in is a beautiful thing. If you can get away with only bringing carry-on for your trip, it saves tons of time and aggro,

I had the same problem with online check-in on US Airways a few weeks ago. They need to get that sorted out - it's in their interest after all, saves the airline time and trouble too.

Bluegrass Lass

Can't say I've ever used online check-in. But then, I never have just a carry- on. It doesn't save any hassle when it comes to checking the baggage - and I'd assume that if one is traveling internationally, you're going to have checked baggage. Guess I really don't see what the big deal is. It isn't like they aren't allowing PRs to fly.

Bob

Depends on the airport...but it can save a lot of time...in Boston, depending on the airline, if you're already checkedin online, you can go down a different line to dump your baggage, they check your checkin and passport and take the baggage, much quicker than being in the line for people having to check in as well.

Also, if you're travelling with just hand luggage, you can just avoid the whole thing.

It is a bit daft to not allow LPR's to do online checkin, it's not a huge thing to implement really, tick box, perhaps ask for the number on the card and away you go rather than just not allowing it. It's been in action long enough for these kinks to get ironed out.

Orangepants

Can make a big difference if you are like me and get to the airport late. Twice US Airways have refused me boarding with 58 mins to flight time and I wasn't checked in online. Found that if I am checked online - they accomodate you and get you through. I try to be a bit more responsible now and get there in good time

Englishmum

I can't check in online with Singapore Airlines either when returning to the US and I have a green card (although I usually fly via Frankfurt). I guess the airline doesn't want to risk paying a huge fine and returning the pax to the embarkation point, preferring to manually check green cards. Oh well, Changi airport is a great place to hang out before the flight so I don't mind getting there early...

GeoffM

Several airlines allow you to choose your seats at online checkin if you weren't able to do so during booking which is a definite bonus if you have a group or just know some of the tricks of where to sit.

Bag drop is normally very quick, oftentimes barely a queue compared to checkin desks. If it wasn't for self-check cubicles we wouldn't have made our last flight out of Orlando because the queue was so long and didn't move for the half hour we waited. Several other flights have been uncomfortably tight despite arriving in plenty of time (in theory).

Zoe Bell

People who haven't checked in online tend to be the first to be bumped as well