Removal of self check in machines at GLA and ABZ
Aug 29, 2014, 5:42 am
#2
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Less need.
People can print at home (hate it) or use the apps.
As there's no boarding pass reissue fee (like on Ryanair) those that can't do either can pick one up at a desk.
I believe the Glasgow ones were originally removed when they were replacing floor tiles but they've stayed away. They're also removed from NCL.
Looks like the maintenance costs of these machines were higher than the cost of printing a few boarding passes at the desk manually.
People can print at home (hate it) or use the apps.
As there's no boarding pass reissue fee (like on Ryanair) those that can't do either can pick one up at a desk.
I believe the Glasgow ones were originally removed when they were replacing floor tiles but they've stayed away. They're also removed from NCL.
Looks like the maintenance costs of these machines were higher than the cost of printing a few boarding passes at the desk manually.
Aug 29, 2014, 5:57 am
#4
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I suspect they'll still retain the machines at their hub airports and probably their longhaul outstations for some time to come.
Another thing that is disappearing from our regional airports is dedicated ticket desks. Now (at NCL and MAN at least, I mostly HBO on domestics now so may have changed) the ticket counters have been replaced by a single customer services desk usually located between the regular check-in counters and the premium one.
I hate PYOBP as I don't want to carry a folded up bit of A4. I'm fine with the app as long as I have enough charge. If I am dropping a bag I ask them to print real boarding passes.
Aug 29, 2014, 6:04 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 237
.... oh, you mean actually calling a number to check in. Did BA ever offer this? I know bmi did but never seen the point (as online check-in was an option too).
I suspect they'll still retain the machines at their hub airports and probably their longhaul outstations for some time to come.
I suspect they'll still retain the machines at their hub airports and probably their longhaul outstations for some time to come.
Would seem odd not to retain the machines at the hubs (where there are the benefits of economies of scale) not least as other airlines use and are even extending to printing of luggage tags.
Aug 29, 2014, 6:19 am
#6
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BA did offer a call up telephone check in though this stopped in the early 2000s..... not sure whether on line check in was an option then... it may have been but I doubt it was when the phone in service was first introduced
Would seem odd not to retain the machines at the hubs (where there are the benefits of economies of scale) not least as other airlines use and are even extending to printing of luggage tags.
Would seem odd not to retain the machines at the hubs (where there are the benefits of economies of scale) not least as other airlines use and are even extending to printing of luggage tags.
No fan of self bag tagging but c-w-s has convinced me of the advantages of HBO so I don't even know whether the machines in T5 print bag tags (although I know LGW, LCY and LHR T1, T3 do). I'm not 100% HBO but I'm probably about HBO 75% of the time now.
Aug 29, 2014, 7:25 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Madrid
Programs: BA GfL
Posts: 157
I don't know if this is 100% correct, but the last time I flew out of ABZ I asked at the BA desk why the machines had gone.
The agent replied that ABZ was moving to shared auto-kiosks (i.e. shared by all of the airlines) and BA were not willing to pay the fees.
The agent replied that ABZ was moving to shared auto-kiosks (i.e. shared by all of the airlines) and BA were not willing to pay the fees.