Nouvelair boarding pass and check-in: schedules, rules and pitfalls

According to the airline's public information, Nouvelair online check-in is available from 36 hours down to 4 hours before the flight's departure. Past that 4-hour limit, you'll need to turn to the airport kiosks or counters.

At the airport, counters open 3 hours before departure and close 60 minutes before departure: beyond that point, no bags are accepted and no boarding pass is issued. The check-in deadline set out in the general conditions of carriage is the same. Self-service kiosks, meanwhile, run from 3 hours down to 1 hour before departure.

These times can vary depending on procedures at each station: check the exact time shown on your booking and plan to arrive with plenty of margin. The airline asks passengers to be at the airport three hours before the flight to complete all formalities.

The process starts from the "Check-in" section of the airline's official website or from the Nouvelair mobile app, available on the App Store and Google Play. It runs as follows:

• identification with the passenger's name and booking reference, then selection of the itinerary and the passenger(s) to check in;
• upload of travel documents: an electronic copy or a photo of the passport ID page, plus the visa if the destination requires one;
• acceptance of the online check-in terms, ticked off;
• seat selection;
• optional addition of extra kilos or paid services, with payment;
• confirmation of check-in;
• issue of the boarding pass, which can be downloaded, printed or shared.

Some passengers cannot use the self-service kiosks: those requiring special assistance (PRM) and those travelling with an animal or a special bag. They are handled at the counter, within the time slots mentioned above.

When departing from Tunisia, the electronic boarding pass is not enough: the paper version is mandatory. It can be collected at the automatic check-in kiosks or at the Nouvelair priority check-in counter. Kiosks are installed at Tunis-Carthage (terminal 1) and Paris Charles de Gaulle (terminal 3); elsewhere, procedures depend on the station.

For flights departing from Tunis, after checking in at the kiosk, passengers must go to the dedicated counter for document check and cabin baggage verification, along with a check that the cabin bag complies and the fitting of a "cabin baggage" tag.

If the boarding pass cannot be issued either online or at a kiosk, it must be collected at the Nouvelair check-in counter: in that case, the airline recommends arriving earlier, since additional checks may be carried out. At check-in, present your ticket or booking reference along with a valid passport. Since 1 January 2025, entry into Tunisia for European citizens is only possible with a passport, as an ID card is no longer accepted. As a reference, ticket validity is one year (12 months) from the date of issue or the date of use of the first coupon.

Online check-in does not remove the need to go to the counter if you have checked baggage: it must be dropped off at the Nouvelair priority check-in counter no later than 60 minutes before departure, as that is when the counters close. The same applies after checking in at a kiosk: you'll still need to head to the counter for a weight and size check. Baggage tags can be printed at the kiosks.

The allowed cabin baggage is 1 piece with maximum dimensions of 55 x 35 x 25 cm. A check is carried out at boarding and a non-compliant bag will incur a charge before departure. The checked baggage allowance depends on the fare purchased and the route: check it on your booking.

At the gate: boarding starts 40 minutes before departure and the gate closes 20 minutes before. A passenger who arrives after that deadline will not be allowed to board, even if checked in and holding a boarding pass, with no compensation for denied boarding.

Several situations can block Nouvelair online check-in. The most common ones:

• you're outside the window: before 36 hours or less than 4 hours before departure, online check-in isn't available;
• the booking reference or the spelling of the name doesn't match what's on the ticket;
• travel documents (passport, visa) could not be uploaded or read correctly;
• your case requires counter handling: special assistance (PRM), an animal, a special bag, or a pregnant passenger who needs to present a medical certificate;
• the departure station applies a specific procedure, as arrangements vary from one station to another.

In these cases, check-in can be completed at the self-service kiosks (an agent remains nearby to help) or at the Nouvelair counter, within the times shown above. The passenger assistance service can be reached at +216 70 02 09 20, +33 1 87 64 10 00 or +44 204578 1211. Lastly, travellers who would rather not handle it themselves can hand their online check-in over to iBoardingPass, which carries it out as soon as the airline's check-in opens and sends the boarding pass by email.