Airport Chronicles (Check-In Confusion)

Written by Joni Roberts

Traveler, storyteller, and public health advocate

Airports are the perfect stage for confusion, speculation, and the occasional eye-roll. And nowhere is this more evident than at the check-in counters.

My international flight was scheduled for 4 p.m., which meant the check-in counter should open at noon—four hours before departure. I arrived, found my airline’s counter, and joined the line. It was short (victory!) and I was already dreaming of dropping my bag and heading to the lounge.

Then came the chaos.

A Black man approached the counter next door, run by China Airlines, and asked where to find my airline’s check-in. The agent, without missing a beat, barked: “Counters open three hours before the flight!” He walked away looking flustered.

Naturally, the women in my line immediately began to murmur. “Oh no, does that mean our counter won’t open for another hour?” Cue collective panic.

Minutes later, the airline crew arrived—always a good sign—and soon after, a group of passengers wandered up, squinting at the counter. One asked, “Is this the line?” Another replied, “There’s a sign.” “On the screen?” “No, up front.” “I don’t think this is the line,” she insisted.

Finally, a man turned to us: “Are y’all waiting for Airline X?” “Yes,” I said. They sighed with relief, joined the queue… and then promptly asked: “Wait, is the counter not open? Are they on strike?”

At this point, I couldn’t resist jumping in: “No, the counter opens four hours before the flight.”

Their response? “Oh, must be unions.”

My eyes nearly rolled into the luggage belt. I explained: “No, it’s just a large airport with many flights. Counters can’t stay open all day.”

Lightbulb moment. “Oh, that makes sense,” they said, finally settling down.

Which leaves me to wonder: is this really their first time flying internationally? Because this is standard procedure at any major airport outside the U.S. Unless, of course, your “international” experience so far has been Canada or Mexico—which, as we’ve established, some Americans don’t even count as “real countries.”

Here’s the thing: this level of confusion seems uniquely American. International travelers from elsewhere often know the drill—counters open a set number of hours before the flight. Americans, though, tend to expect 24/7 service. (Probably the same folks who ask why there isn’t free coffee at the gate.)

Eventually, the counter opened, I checked in, and happily made my way to the lounge. But not before marveling—once again—at the endless comedy of errors that is airport behavior.

End of notes. Time to see what other mysteries unfold at the gate. Don’t miss a note—subscribe to get new stories from the road each week.