I've been to LAX now about three times since they opened the new United check-in counters. I realize it's not completely done, but the Premiere checkin seems done.

They've set up some check in desks, but there is no queue line. No ropes or signs or anything. Just a lineup of checkin terminals, with agents behind some of them. What ends up happening is people clump up near the ones with agents, and don't know what to do. So a line forms, but then rogue travelers decide to just walk up to the agents who don't have a line directly in front of them. Multiple clumps form and people are confused and at least one time, I've seen people interact - "this is the line!" "no, there's no line", etc. I've asked the agents why there is no line and they just shrug their shoulders.

Every time I've been there, people with walkie talkies are standing in the open area to direct traffic, but they DO NOT ask people to form a line, or have an answer to "is there a line?" "where do I go?" "should i go to a check in desk with no agent?" questions. If they had a queue, these extra people wouldn't be needed.

It seems to me that everywhere else I go, United at least puts up some kind of line management ropes/barriers and people generally queue up quite effectively. Why in LAX did they not do this? Have they not stood there for 5 minutes to see the mess? If you need three people to manage the "non-line", isn't that a big red flag? Do they set these things up and not go back and look?

Maybe this is the latest thing in line management - I'm open to hearing that there is some rational explanation!