International Airline Check-in Proceedures

Submitted by Charles Griffith (United States), May 5, 2010 at 21:15

Overlooked also in these media accounts is the apparent weak link in the chain of information, particularly at this critical juncture of the moment when the manifest information is passed on to an Air Marshall or someone in authority at Homeland Security, or whoever monitors manifests.

When minutes count, as is obvious in this particular case, and in this hyper-cyber-paperless-office-procedure emphasis now in vogue, there is no excuse for the lack of a "real time" presentation of manifested names.....as the manifest is being accumulated at the check-in counter.....not waiting for the manifest to be completed, approved by a Traffic manager, or some such, prior to being passed on to a U.S,. Marshall or someone with authority to hold the aircraft before the doors are closed and pressurization has started. If the aircraft has departed its ramp position, there is still time to have it re-called by the tower. If indeed the aircraft has taken off it can be returned to the traffic landing pattern before it leaves United States airspace.

I mention this as a former international airline employee with (albeit) outdated first hand experience in this fast paced manifest creation activity which is out of sight of the check-in counter.

There is an excellent chance that Emirates Air employees are complicit in any delay in presenting this final manifest to the U.S. Authorities. If I was checking in this pax who'd just made the reservation while en route to the airport, and then...then....paid for this ticket halfway around the world with cash, no trivial amount, I'd be flashing red lights with may hands and feet.

Goof grief!

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