A check-in desk is the counter where you hand over your luggage. Queue at the check-in desk.
It closes long before the flight, and the cut-off is genuinely absolute. A check-in desk is disappearing as bag drops and phones take over most of the job.
1nouncheck-in deskThe counter where you hand over your luggage.
“The check-in desk closed four minutes before they reached it.”
check-in desk is a counter.
Practised in Airport & Flying