This One Code on Your Boarding Pass Could Mean You Don't Have a Seat-What to Know

"That unlucky code is "GTE," "gate," or "see agent," which indicates the lack of a seat assignment. In some circumstances, it could mean the aircraft is actually oversold and travelers risk being bumped from the flight, according to travel blogger Dan Miller, who experienced the dreaded "see agent" on his own boarding pass earlier this year, detailing the experience on his blog Points with a Crew. But it could also mean the airline simply needs to verify your passport or visa if you're flying internationally."

"In 2019, Air Canada gate agents admitted to CBC News they had knowingly checked in passengers with luggage even on oversold flights. "I say to the new hired agents, 'You can't put up with confrontation all day long. If someone has 'GTE' [for "gate"] on their boarding pass, it means they don't have a seat,' one longtime Air Canada ticket agent said at the time."

Boarding-pass codes like GTE, gate, or 'see agent' indicate no seat assignment and can signal an oversold flight or a need for passport/visa verification for international travel. A traveler once saw 'see agent' but received a seat before reaching the airport; travelers are advised to allow extra time to speak with gate agents. In 2019 Air Canada agents admitted checking in passengers on oversold flights and described sending unresolved passengers to the gate; the airline later confirmed GTE indicates no seat and said volunteers are requested first when overbooking occurs. Check-in deadlines can vary by airport.

Read at Travel + Leisure