Lufthansa’s Online Check-In Now Needs an Account You May Not Have

Travelers who like to check in from the couch are about to meet a new gatekeeper. Lufthansa Group is rolling out a requirement that online check-in be done through a Travel ID account, and the second stage of that rollout begins on November 2. The change applies across the group’s family of airlines, so it is not limited to flights that carry the Lufthansa name.

The phase-in is staggered by geography. The first wave began October 20 for most Schengen-area countries outside Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The November 2 wave covers non-Schengen Europe, Germany apart from Frankfurt and Munich, Austria, and Switzerland apart from Zurich. Passengers starting in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Munich and Zurich follow on November 16, with Frankfurt and the remaining regions due on November 30.

The requirement touches Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Air Dolomiti, Edelweiss and Discover Airlines. Two details soften the blow: checking in at an airport counter or a self-service kiosk does not require a Travel ID, and one account is generally enough for the person checking in a group reservation.

It is worth keeping the scope in perspective. A Travel ID is a login for the airline group’s digital services, not a travel document, and it does not replace a passport, national ID card or visa. Anyone flying one of these carriers in the coming weeks should create the account ahead of time rather than discovering the requirement at midnight, when the check-in window opens.

Sources: Travel And Tour World