French Bee Online Check-in and Boarding Pass

Two times govern everything else: the point from which you can check in, and the point after which it's too late.

On other routes, notably Paris to La Réunion, French bee states that online check-in can open earlier, according to the airline's published information. Opening times therefore depend on your destination: the safest approach is to treat the day before your flight as the point when your booking becomes accessible, and to check the exact time shown on your reservation.

As for closing, there's no ambiguity: it's the same across the entire network, at 1.5 hours before departure. The reminder emails sent by the airline repeat this. Past this deadline, your seat on board can be cancelled.

Online check-in is done from the "Check in online" section of the airline's official website, using your booking reference (PNR) and the passenger's name. The reminder emails sent before departure contain a direct link to the same form.

During the process, you choose your seat on the plane: some seats come at no extra cost, others are paid options (extra legroom, emergency exit rows, Extra Seat, Cosy cabin). The boarding pass is issued once the process is complete.

After that, French bee describes two options in its pre-departure journey: print the boarding pass at home, or save it on your phone.

One detail that costs time at Orly: if you've checked in online and you're travelling with checked baggage, you still need to print your bag tag at a self-service kiosk before heading to the baggage drop.

French bee is a long-haul airline, and its destinations bring entry requirements specific to each country. In its check-in emails, the airline links to its entry requirements sections (United States, Canada, French Polynesia, mainland France…). Check the validity of your documents well ahead of departure, along with the entry and stay conditions required for your trip.

The airline warns in its check-in emails that if a required document is not presented, boarding may be refused. Travel documents are shown to the agent when entering the check-in area.

If you don't have the required travel documents, your seat on board can be cancelled, just as it can if you miss the check-in deadline. Some bookings, meanwhile, can't be completed online: check-in must then be done at the kiosk or airport counter.

French bee flights depart from Orly Terminal 4. The airline recommends arriving 3 to 4 hours before departure in case of heavy traffic, or simply for peace of mind. Passengers needing assistance and unaccompanied minors are asked to arrive at least 2 hours before departure, to complete the necessary handling formalities.

The process on site works as follows:

• self-service kiosk: print your boarding pass and checked baggage tags;
• attach the tag to the corresponding bag;
• enter the check-in area, show your travel documents, place your bag on the belt.

In this terminal, kiosks are available throughout the terminal building and there's no need to wait for check-in to open to use them; an automated baggage drop rounds out the setup. For security reasons, the passenger must be present when their baggage is checked in. When departing from other stations (Saint-Denis de La Réunion, Papeete, San Francisco, Montreal…), the setup depends on the airport and counters on site: allow the same amount of time.

After checking in, French bee asks passengers to head to the boarding gate as quickly as possible. The boarding deadline is set at least 30 minutes before the scheduled flight time: after that, boarding is no longer possible.

Cabin and checked baggage allowances depend on the fare purchased and the cabin (Economy or Premium): they're shown on your e-ticket. French bee sells checked baggage and a second checked bag as add-on services, including on the day of departure at the counter or on board. Weigh and measure your bags before leaving, and check the list of prohibited items (aerosols, lighters, matches, paint, explosive or incendiary substances and devices).

Checking in online doesn't exempt you from document checks, from the baggage drop if you're carrying checked luggage, or from police and security formalities.

Rules vary from one airline to another, including at sister airline Air Caraïbes, also part of the Dubreuil group. On other routes departing from France, opening times differ: see Air France's check-in process, Corsair's check-in, easyJet's check-in procedure or Air Corsica's check-in. If you'd rather not keep track of the opening time yourself, iBoardingPass can check you in as soon as it opens and send your boarding pass by email.