Confirmation
As everyone knows, airlines’ flight schedules can change suddenly, and at any time.
Normally, your travel advisor will be notified of any major schedule change, and will tell you about it as soon as possible. If the change is last-minute, however, he or she might not be informed in time.
This is why it is strongly recommended that, 24 hours in advance, you check to see whether there has been any change to yours cheduled departure time. The traditional way to do this is by phone, but you can also use the Web. Not only is checking your flight status online a simple and quick procedure, but you can also take the opportunity to pre-check-in.
Pre-check-in
Your travel advisor can take care of your seat selection for you when you book your flight, except if 85% of the seats have already been assigned. If that limit has been reached, regulations state that assignment of the remaining seats must take place at the airport in the hours immediately preceding departure. To provide more flexibility, however, many airlines offer travellers the option of performing online their own seat selection, beginning 24 hours before departure.
Advantages:
- You can choose your seat or even change a pre-selected seat for one in a better location.
- You can print out your boarding pass.You can save time at the airport by avoiding line-ups: if you have only carry-on baggage, you can skip the check-in counter and go directly to the security checkpoint.
The two-in-one procedure
1. Have your passport and your flight itinerary ready.
2. Log on to the air carrier’s website. The CAA-Quebec Travel Business Services team always provides the carrier’s Web address with your flight itinerary.
3. Confirm your flight.
4. Go to the pre-check-in section and enter your ticket number.
5. Select your seat and enter the number of checked bags.
6. Print out your boarding pass. If you don’t have a printer, you can go to a self-service kiosk once you get to the airport.
At the airport
- If you have bags to check in: Leave them at the special counter designated for this purpose. If there is no such counter, go to the check-in counter.
- If you have only carry-on baggage: Go directly to your boarding gate, ahead of the time listed on your boarding pass. If you do not arrive before the listed time, your seat will no longer be guaranteed.
Important: be sure to check your airline’sspecific conditions and exceptions: each one has its own policies regarding these two procedures.