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FrHow can I check in when traveling with China Eastern Airlines?
If you decide to travel with China Eastern Airlines, you can choose between three methods of checking-in:
- Counter Check-in, which must be done directly at the airport and is recommended if you have special requirements, or if you decide to travel with your children, as well as if you have a lot of baggage with you.
- Online Check-in, which can be done directly from the airline’s official website.
- Kiosk Check-in, where you can print your own boarding pass.
When must I check in when traveling with China Eastern Airlines?
Depending on your check-in method, check-in times vary. For example, should you decide for an airport counter check-in, you should be aware of the fact that the check-in times vary depending on your journey’s type of route. However, it is recommended to arrive at the airport from 2 and a half hours to 45 minutes before flight departure.
Online Check-in timings also vary depending on the type of route, so the best course of action would be to access the official website for up-to-date information regarding your scheduled departure. This must be done at least 24 hours prior to the flight departure.
Counter Check-in
China Eastern assures its clients that, in 95% of the cases, the waiting time for checking-in at any of their airport counters will not exceed 5 minutes for First Class, 7 minutes for Business Class and 18 minutes for Economy Class.
Five minutes is all it takes for paying excess baggage fees, returning a ticket or filling in a ticket, 10 minutes of waiting in a queue being the most you’ll have to sit in line. They seem to be fast and efficient!
Online Check-in
Online Check-in is available at most domestic airports up to 45 minutes before departure and some international/regional airports up to 60 minutes before departure.
The passengers who opted for Online Check-in must go through the security checkpoint at the airport at least 40 minutes prior to the flight departure. Remember that those who do not respect this regulation or if the boarding procedure is not completed 15 minutes before departure, the plane will take off as scheduled and the passenger will be the sole responsible for missing the flight!
Documents
By accessing China Eastern Airlines’ official website, you can check-in online only by entering your personal information (name, ticket number, and passport/ID number), followed by choosing your flight, your seat and then printing your boarding pass. It’s that simple. If, however, you don’t have a printer at home, you can print your boarding pass directly at the airport, at the China Eastern’s self-service kiosks or check-in counters (provided that you have any valid form of identification).
Availability
The Online Check-in service is available only for adult passengers and accompanied children (no infants) with no special requirements (including special meals), provided they have an electronic ticket. Moreover, this check-in type is applicable to all the e-tickets, regardless of the class of service.
You should know that you are allowed to check in online even if you have checked baggage, but you still need to present your luggage at the China Eastern check-in counters at least 90 minutes before scheduled departure.
Online Check-in is also available if the electronic ticket was not bought from China Eastern Airlines’ website. However, after the input of your personal information (name, ticket number, and passport/ID number), special procedures must be followed, which will be laid out to you by the website.
China Eastern Airlines’ online check-in system allows group check-in but is limited to groups of a maximum of 3 passengers in the same booking.
Options
If you completed the Online Check-in procedure, you have the following options:
- To change your seat, you may contact China Eastern Airlines’ check-in counters.
- To cancel Online Check-in, do it online or by contacting Customer Service at least 1 hour before flight departure.
- To check in baggage, proceed to a China Eastern Airlines check-in counter at the airport at least 90 minutes before flight departure.
- For international flights, proceed to a check-in counter to have your travel document checked and get your boarding pass.
Kiosk Check-in
Being also a form of self-service check-in, this method of registration is subject to the same restrictions mentioned above.
Since China Eastern Airlines has check-in kiosks at several airports where it is active (Hangzhou, Hefei, Nanchang, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Shanghai (Hongqiao & Pudong), Xi’an, Komatsu, Toyama, Hong Kong), you can print your own boarding pass (making this an easy alternative, if you don’t have a printer at home). You can also make seat choices, pay fees for excess baggage, and even manage your frequent flyer points.
Boarding
Depending on whether your flight is international or domestic, you should know that the boarding procedures commence and end differently.
International flights will have green lights for boarding procedures up to two hours before departure and may end the boarding operations 45 minutes prior to flight departure.
On the other hand, domestic flights commence the boarding procedures 90 minutes before scheduled departure, closing them 30 minutes prior to taking off.
Remember to always have with you all the relevant identification documents, as well as to arrive at the airport on time, so you could meet the time limits mentioned above!
