In response to article: ">Self-service bag drop tech for GOL domestic travellers
“If I have not aligned the sticky part of the baggage tag correctly, can I pull it apart and try again?”
“The barcode is facing down; I wonder if that is ok and if not, will I ever see my bag again?”
These are some of the doubts inexpert passengers are likely to have as they fumble their way through checking in their own luggage.
If passengers had a union, it would demand a discount for taking over airlines’ work when passengers have to check in their own luggage and attach their own baggage tags.
I challenge readers of eTNW to capture their information, peel the sticky labels and apply them in a way that can be read by the airport scanners – faster than a professional check-in attendant does it.
It is ridiculous that airlines are telling their customers that checking in their own luggage improves their experience. The stress of trying to align sticky labels and the additional time it takes make nonsense of their claims.
How can a passenger flying occasionally be as good at a complicated process as a professional who does the same process 160 times in a single shift?
The airlines will deny it, but as soon as they can, they will reduce the number of check-in attendants so that queues to hand in the luggage after you have done the work, will be just as long.
As a business-class passenger flying from Toronto to Johannesburg last week, I found it humiliating to be so inept at what sounds so simple in theory. Connecting flights and visas, all contribute to the complexity. I was acutely aware that being forced to weigh luggage, generate my own baggage tags and boarding passes (and staff no longer rush to help the first time you fail, as they want you to learn) was taking longer than when an airline representative did it for me, including queueing time.
I would say 5% off the fare is what I should be offered to be forced to self check in and bag drop!
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