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Bob & LBF in the Morning

Bob & LBF in the Morning

Bob & LBF in the Morning

Flyers Are Playing “Check-in Chicken” And It’s Amazing

Author Lauren Beckham Falcone
Empty saloon of commercial airplane with rows of red generic seats in the aisle

Move over, “raw-dogging” flights – there’s a new travel hack that has passengers risking it all for a better seat, and it’s called “check-in chicken.”

This viral trend has frequent fliers betting big by delaying their check-in until the very last minute, all in hopes of snagging an unsold premium seat without paying a dime.

Here’s how it works. Instead of checking in as soon as the option is available, “check-in chicken” devotees hold off, keeping a close eye on the airline’s app or website.

The idea? By waiting until check-in nearly closes, they might luck out with leftover seats in premium spots: extra legroom, aisle seats, or even a coveted exit row.

As flights fill up, these desirable seats are often the last to go because they usually come with a price tag.

But, if they’re still available when check-in ends, passengers might get assigned one for free.

Check-in Chicken Risks

It’s a gamble, though. Airlines sometimes overbook flights, betting that a few passengers won’t show. But if everyone does show up and you’re the last one checking in, you could be bumped from the flight entirely.

Some travelers are willing to take this risk for the chance of added comfort, likening it to the “chicken” game, where they wait until the last possible moment to see who gives in first – the passenger or the airline.

TikTok’s @cheapholidayexpert is one of those rolling the dice, claiming she “can’t remember the last time” she didn’t end up with extra legroom because of this tactic.

Her advice? Don’t wait until the absolute last second. Instead, monitor the seating plan throughout the day, and grab a seat when you see something good still available.

@cheapholidayexpert

Was this too last minute?! 😰 🛫 Send this to someone who loves to leave checking in a little too late… 🙈 🐔 WHAT IS CHECK IN CHICKEN? 🐔 Check in Chicken is when you leave your online check in for Wizz Air and Ryanair late in the hope that you get allocated a better seat. 💺 WHY DO YOU GET A BETTER SEAT IF YOU L EAVE CHECK IN LATE? 💺 Wizz Air and Ryanair both do three things: 1. They charge for seats 2. They actively split up people travelling together 3. They often place people in ‘bad seats’ - i.e. middle seats and those away from the exits All of this means that as time ticks on, often the seats that are left available are the ‘good seats’ - i.e. upfront and extra legroom 🤔 DOES IT ACTUALLY WORK? 🤔 Yep! I actually can’t remember the last time I didn’t get an extra legroom seat because of doing this!! ⚠️ BUT WHAT’S THE RISK? ⚠️ The small risk - as you have seen in this video - is that you leave check in too late and there’s no seats left. This is because airlines can overbook planes due to the chance that a small percentage of passengers won’t show up for the flight. Now, technically the airline shouldn’t automatically boot off those that were last to check in - they’re supposed to ask if anyone is willing to give up their seat first (they get another flight plus compensation so some may well go for it) but often they just stick it on those who have left check in chicken a little too late… 😭 HOW BIG IS THE RISK?! 😭 Wizz Air and Ryanair both have a fairly high average load factor - around 94% - and so planes are often close to full. However, it is true that some passengers don’t show up and there are still plenty of flights that aren’t completely full. Overall, they wouldn’t overbook if they were losing money on the situation - which they would be if it happened often since they’d need to rebook your flight, put you up in accommodation if needed and give you compensation. 💁‍♀️ MY TOP TIP 💁‍♀️ Don’t leave Check in Chicken until the last moment - you need to be checking the seating plan throughout the day and check in when only good seats are left! 📣 LET ME KNOW… Would you do this?! And has anyone ever been on an overbooked plane?! #wizzair #checkin #overbookedflight

♬ original sound - Cheap Holiday Expert

Travel experts, like those at Travel Republic, suggest another tactic: have a quick chat with the gate agent. They might let you switch seats based on availability, especially if the flight isn’t full.

Ready to play check-in chicken?

If you’re the daring type, this high-risk, high-reward strategy might be your ticket to stretching out in style.

Lauren Beckham Falcone is the co-host of Bob & LBF in the Morning. Formerly an award-winning reporter and columnist for the Boston Herald, she credits her current success as a pop culture commentator to watching too much TV as a kid and scouring the internet too much as an adult. LBF is a regular contributor to NECN and is an honorary board member at the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress. Lauren lives in Canton with her husband Dave and her daughter Lucy. Lauren writes about trending topics, New England destinations, and seasonal DIY.

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Author Lauren Beckham Falcone
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