On a return trip from Vegas yesterday - they announced a new feature at the gate in the Sky Priority lane. This was a device that lets passengers scan their own boarding pass - while the agent watches. Not sure if it was intended to save the airport money - or time ... but it cost both yesterday. They had to call in additional help with passengers who got that deer-in-the-headlights look when they placed their boarding pass on the reader with the code facing up instead of down toward the scanner. Step aside sir, Step Aside Sir, EXUSE ME SIR, Step Aside Please ... so other passengers may continue.

Started with 3 agents at the gate ... ended up with 5 by the time I boarded in Zone 1.

Simple enough. You hold your boarding pass an inch or two above the glass scanning plate and if confirmed, the little blue cow doors open and lets you through.