How do airlines link travellers who bought separate tickets? [closed]
I was travelling from Johannesburg to Paris on EgyptAir recently and at check-in in Johannesburg was subjected to a barrage of questions about where I lived, what I was doing in France and how long I had lived there and my documents were inspected by three different people. The most intriguing question of all was when they asked me if I was travelling with X who I was indeed travelling with. X was also asked if he was travelling with me and was asked to point me out at his check-in counter.
How did the airline know we were travelling together as we had bought our plane tickets separately, using different credit cards and different computers from different locations? The only thing that I can think of is that we bought the tickets at about the same time (talking over the phone) and chose adjoining seats on all our flights but is this really used to link travelers? And is this linked to the intense questioning we received?
airlines bookings check-in
edited Jan 24 '17 at 14:07
Giorgio
31.6k964177
asked Jan 24 '17 at 12:36
GalaxyGalaxy
24417
closed as primarily opinion-based by pnuts, Ali Awan, Giorgio, CGCampbell, Jan Jan 24 '17 at 20:48
Many good questions generate some degree of opinion based on expert experience, but answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
add a comment |
I was travelling from Johannesburg to Paris on EgyptAir recently and at check-in in Johannesburg was subjected to a barrage of questions about where I lived, what I was doing in France and how long I had lived there and my documents were inspected by three different people. The most intriguing question of all was when they asked me if I was travelling with X who I was indeed travelling with. X was also asked if he was travelling with me and was asked to point me out at his check-in counter.
How did the airline know we were travelling together as we had bought our plane tickets separately, using different credit cards and different computers from different locations? The only thing that I can think of is that we bought the tickets at about the same time (talking over the phone) and chose adjoining seats on all our flights but is this really used to link travelers? And is this linked to the intense questioning we received?
airlines bookings check-in
edited Jan 24 '17 at 14:07
Giorgio
31.6k964177
asked Jan 24 '17 at 12:36
GalaxyGalaxy
24417
closed as primarily opinion-based by pnuts, Ali Awan, Giorgio, CGCampbell, Jan Jan 24 '17 at 20:48
Many good questions generate some degree of opinion based on expert experience, but answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
Next time, book at different times and book different seats?
– JonathanReez♦
Jan 24 '17 at 12:56
Were you in a middle or otherwise less desirable seat?
– Johns-305
Jan 24 '17 at 15:21
I was by an aisle seat by the side of the plane. X had a window seat next to me.
– Galaxy
Jan 24 '17 at 16:34
add a comment |
I was travelling from Johannesburg to Paris on EgyptAir recently and at check-in in Johannesburg was subjected to a barrage of questions about where I lived, what I was doing in France and how long I had lived there and my documents were inspected by three different people. The most intriguing question of all was when they asked me if I was travelling with X who I was indeed travelling with. X was also asked if he was travelling with me and was asked to point me out at his check-in counter.
How did the airline know we were travelling together as we had bought our plane tickets separately, using different credit cards and different computers from different locations? The only thing that I can think of is that we bought the tickets at about the same time (talking over the phone) and chose adjoining seats on all our flights but is this really used to link travelers? And is this linked to the intense questioning we received?
airlines bookings check-in
edited Jan 24 '17 at 14:07
Giorgio
31.6k964177
asked Jan 24 '17 at 12:36
GalaxyGalaxy
24417
I was travelling from Johannesburg to Paris on EgyptAir recently and at check-in in Johannesburg was subjected to a barrage of questions about where I lived, what I was doing in France and how long I had lived there and my documents were inspected by three different people. The most intriguing question of all was when they asked me if I was travelling with X who I was indeed travelling with. X was also asked if he was travelling with me and was asked to point me out at his check-in counter.
How did the airline know we were travelling together as we had bought our plane tickets separately, using different credit cards and different computers from different locations? The only thing that I can think of is that we bought the tickets at about the same time (talking over the phone) and chose adjoining seats on all our flights but is this really used to link travelers? And is this linked to the intense questioning we received?
airlines bookings check-in
airlines bookings check-in
edited Jan 24 '17 at 14:07
Giorgio
31.6k964177
asked Jan 24 '17 at 12:36
GalaxyGalaxy
24417
edited Jan 24 '17 at 14:07
Giorgio
31.6k964177
asked Jan 24 '17 at 12:36
GalaxyGalaxy
24417
edited Jan 24 '17 at 14:07
Giorgio
31.6k964177
edited Jan 24 '17 at 14:07
Giorgio
31.6k964177
edited Jan 24 '17 at 14:07
Giorgio
31.6k964177
31.6k964177
asked Jan 24 '17 at 12:36
GalaxyGalaxy
24417
asked Jan 24 '17 at 12:36
GalaxyGalaxy
24417
asked Jan 24 '17 at 12:36
GalaxyGalaxy
24417
24417
closed as primarily opinion-based by pnuts, Ali Awan, Giorgio, CGCampbell, Jan Jan 24 '17 at 20:48
Many good questions generate some degree of opinion based on expert experience, but answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
closed as primarily opinion-based by pnuts, Ali Awan, Giorgio, CGCampbell, Jan Jan 24 '17 at 20:48
Many good questions generate some degree of opinion based on expert experience, but answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
Next time, book at different times and book different seats?
– JonathanReez♦
Jan 24 '17 at 12:56
Were you in a middle or otherwise less desirable seat?
– Johns-305
Jan 24 '17 at 15:21
I was by an aisle seat by the side of the plane. X had a window seat next to me.
– Galaxy
Jan 24 '17 at 16:34
add a comment |
Next time, book at different times and book different seats?
– JonathanReez♦
Jan 24 '17 at 12:56
Were you in a middle or otherwise less desirable seat?
– Johns-305
Jan 24 '17 at 15:21
I was by an aisle seat by the side of the plane. X had a window seat next to me.
– Galaxy
Jan 24 '17 at 16:34
Next time, book at different times and book different seats?
– JonathanReez♦
Jan 24 '17 at 12:56
Next time, book at different times and book different seats?
– JonathanReez♦
Jan 24 '17 at 12:56
Were you in a middle or otherwise less desirable seat?
– Johns-305
Jan 24 '17 at 15:21
Were you in a middle or otherwise less desirable seat?
– Johns-305
Jan 24 '17 at 15:21
I was by an aisle seat by the side of the plane. X had a window seat next to me.
– Galaxy
Jan 24 '17 at 16:34
I was by an aisle seat by the side of the plane. X had a window seat next to me.
– Galaxy
Jan 24 '17 at 16:34
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
There could be multiple ways for them to track you down :
- The fact that you have booked at the same time.
- The fact that you have booked adjoining seats.
- Previous bookings. If you had booked together in the past.
- Was this flight operated by EgyptAir or by another company with a codeshare? If it was operated by another company, maybe you were the only ones using this codeshare with EgyptAir.
- Details on your passport. Maybe you have some details in common (place of birth, area where you live, etc...).
The intense questioning you have received might or might not be related to that. No one will be able to tell you for sure. Maybe if you had booked together, you wouldn't have had this intense questioning. Only the people who questioned you know the exact reasons why you were checked. Everything else will just be speculation. Checks critera aren't disclosed publicly.
answered Jan 24 '17 at 12:54
LaurentLaurent
2,9091522
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
There could be multiple ways for them to track you down :
- The fact that you have booked at the same time.
- The fact that you have booked adjoining seats.
- Previous bookings. If you had booked together in the past.
- Was this flight operated by EgyptAir or by another company with a codeshare? If it was operated by another company, maybe you were the only ones using this codeshare with EgyptAir.
- Details on your passport. Maybe you have some details in common (place of birth, area where you live, etc...).
The intense questioning you have received might or might not be related to that. No one will be able to tell you for sure. Maybe if you had booked together, you wouldn't have had this intense questioning. Only the people who questioned you know the exact reasons why you were checked. Everything else will just be speculation. Checks critera aren't disclosed publicly.
answered Jan 24 '17 at 12:54
LaurentLaurent
2,9091522
add a comment |
There could be multiple ways for them to track you down :
- The fact that you have booked at the same time.
- The fact that you have booked adjoining seats.
- Previous bookings. If you had booked together in the past.
- Was this flight operated by EgyptAir or by another company with a codeshare? If it was operated by another company, maybe you were the only ones using this codeshare with EgyptAir.
- Details on your passport. Maybe you have some details in common (place of birth, area where you live, etc...).
The intense questioning you have received might or might not be related to that. No one will be able to tell you for sure. Maybe if you had booked together, you wouldn't have had this intense questioning. Only the people who questioned you know the exact reasons why you were checked. Everything else will just be speculation. Checks critera aren't disclosed publicly.
answered Jan 24 '17 at 12:54
LaurentLaurent
2,9091522
add a comment |
There could be multiple ways for them to track you down :
- The fact that you have booked at the same time.
- The fact that you have booked adjoining seats.
- Previous bookings. If you had booked together in the past.
- Was this flight operated by EgyptAir or by another company with a codeshare? If it was operated by another company, maybe you were the only ones using this codeshare with EgyptAir.
- Details on your passport. Maybe you have some details in common (place of birth, area where you live, etc...).
The intense questioning you have received might or might not be related to that. No one will be able to tell you for sure. Maybe if you had booked together, you wouldn't have had this intense questioning. Only the people who questioned you know the exact reasons why you were checked. Everything else will just be speculation. Checks critera aren't disclosed publicly.
answered Jan 24 '17 at 12:54
LaurentLaurent
2,9091522
There could be multiple ways for them to track you down :
- The fact that you have booked at the same time.
- The fact that you have booked adjoining seats.
- Previous bookings. If you had booked together in the past.
- Was this flight operated by EgyptAir or by another company with a codeshare? If it was operated by another company, maybe you were the only ones using this codeshare with EgyptAir.
- Details on your passport. Maybe you have some details in common (place of birth, area where you live, etc...).
The intense questioning you have received might or might not be related to that. No one will be able to tell you for sure. Maybe if you had booked together, you wouldn't have had this intense questioning. Only the people who questioned you know the exact reasons why you were checked. Everything else will just be speculation. Checks critera aren't disclosed publicly.
answered Jan 24 '17 at 12:54
LaurentLaurent
2,9091522
answered Jan 24 '17 at 12:54
LaurentLaurent
2,9091522
answered Jan 24 '17 at 12:54
LaurentLaurent
2,9091522
answered Jan 24 '17 at 12:54
LaurentLaurent
2,9091522
2,9091522
add a comment |
add a comment |
Next time, book at different times and book different seats?
– JonathanReez♦
Jan 24 '17 at 12:56
Were you in a middle or otherwise less desirable seat?
– Johns-305
Jan 24 '17 at 15:21
I was by an aisle seat by the side of the plane. X had a window seat next to me.
– Galaxy
Jan 24 '17 at 16:34