Alaska Airlines changes minimum check-in time to 40 minutes

[CHamilton]

Alaska Airlines changes minimum check-in time to 40 minutes

SEATTLE —

Starting Wednesday, Alaska Airlines will increase its minimum check-in time for travelers from 30 to 40 minutes before departing, regardless if a bag is checked or not, said officials with the airlines.
For international travelers, the minimum check-in time remains at 60 minutes.
The change is being made so that customers can expect the same minimum check-in times at all the airports served by the carrier.

 

[fairviewroad]

This move does help highlight the convenience of taking the Cascades btw SEA and PDX, in that you don't need to

"check-in" 40 minutes in advance (the seat assignment line-up notwithstanding...if you don't care about a specific

seat then you don't need to line up).

That said, this deadline is largely irrelevant in the day and age of online check-in (and mobile device check-in). If

you haven't checked in by the 40 minute cut-off, you really aren't trying. The real "deadline" is getting through security

on time.

Ironically, even at 40 minutes, the Alaska Airlines cut-off is more generous than the Amtrak cut-off when it comes to

checked bags.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

I flew Alaska earlier this month and they made a big deal out of the fact that the plane would start boarding 40 minutes prior to departure, so this hardly comes as a shock to me.

OF COURSE we had someone still board after the flight attendants said that the cabin doors were closed. hboy:

So how much has really changed?