printing our boarding passes
 

Heard on the news that one of the airlines will now charge for printing boarding passes at the gate, print them at home to save money. We've flown quite a bit but have never printed our boarding passes. I'm not terribly computer literate, just know how to do what I must do, learn as I go and needs arise. Is printing our airline boarding passes pretty simple. Hope someone says "yes"! THANKS

They are easy to print at home you simply go to the page, click usually on travel and a drop down usually shows and click boarding pass or many airlines have it to the far right saying check in or my reservation a hint and you just plug in your name and ticket or reservation number. Be aware some airlines do let you check in (thus ensuring your seat choice) but will not print the boarding pass as you need to show passport etc. at airport.

thanks JoanneH. Sounds like something I can do. May not have to, but I like being prepared.

I've not come across any airline that charges you to print out a boarding pass at the airport. I do that frequently with AA Checkin online from my hotel even if I don't have access to a printer.

Nowadays I don't even print out the boarding pass - I use the barcode on my smartphone.

I'm in awe of you techies.

Go to (your airline).com. There will be some sort of thing like "my itineraries" or "travel tools" - click on that and you at some point will be asked to enter flight info - confirmation number, name, cities - some combination of this.

It will then walk you thru how to print a boarding pass. At your destination if you are in a hotel, often front desk will either print it for you, direct you to their business center - and if there is a fee to use computer or printer, often waive it.

Why not skip the paper completely and go with electronic boarding passes? It's the same process to check in on-line and so much easier to just scan the barcode at security and the gate.

But don't electronic boarding passes require a smart phone? Many of us don't have one of those contraptions.

Printing boarding passes couldn't be easier (as long as you have a computer at home which I do not). It's part of "web checkin". I always get a reminder by email from my airlines the day before I fly and you just following the links/instructions.

That said, I have never heard of airlines charging you money to print a boarding pass though.

oops I mean to say as long as you have a PRINTER at home (obviously I have a computer!)

I believe that Spirit airlines said last week they would start charging $2-5 to use their self-check kiosk or a gate agent to print out a boarding pass...that's tough on people that don't have computers or smart phones! Just another way of nickling and diming the customer!!!

Spirit Air just announced this week that it will charge $5 for the airport check-in agent to issue a boarding pass. I assume this is the airline you're referring to. There is no charge to print the boarding pass yourself at home or at one of the airport self-service kiosks.

Are you near a public library? If they have computers and printers available to the public you can check in online and print your boarding passes there. When I have used the library's computers in my neighborhood, I have found the librarians to be very helpful. Perhaps they could assist you with your check-in if you encounter any problems.

Seriously, if you decide to fly with Spirit, I would assume it's because they are significantly cheaper than other alternatives. Then, even if they charge you to manually check you in (for whatever reason you can't do it on your own), or charge you for that can of coke, just pay them and be happy.

Printing a board pass for a fee? This sounds weird.

Spirit will charge $5 to use an agent to check-in, starting Nov 1. From June next year, using a kiosk at airport will also cost $1.