BRUSSELS: Anyone checking in online before a flight now needs to look closely to make sure they really are on the airline's website, the European Consumer Centre says, warning of a growing number of scams offering to help passengers check in online.
Would-be service providers are said to target heavily searched airlines and try to cash in. For small fees, they promise to check you in, reserve seats or provide boarding passes.
But customers typically also find themselves stuck with additional services and expensive subscriptions.
In some cases, the promised service is not even provided at all, the EU-wide consumer network reported based on numerous complaints they say they have received.
Those affected frequently end up on the third-party providers’ pages after putting keywords like "airline X, online check-in" into a search engine and then click on something without checking closely whether it really is the airline’s site.
In general, it's always best to check in directly with the airline, not only because of the unnecessary costs and the risk of being trapped in a subscription with an online service provider. It also ensures that you receive information first hand, for example about postponed flight times.
Consumer advisers say they also observe such providers targeting services at airports, specifically 'Fast Track' services, promising time slots that can be booked in advance for a quicker route through security.
Here too, travellers should check carefully that they are actually making the booking on the airport’s website and not on third-party pages that appear to be a practical service, but then sell you a subscription in the small print, the consumer centre says. – dpa
