Originally Posted by GUWonder

Which country issued your passport with this problem? Have you tried to wipe down the machine-readable zone (with a dry wipe or slightly wet wipe) of the passport before using it to check-in at airline/multi-airline kiosks so as to load your passport information into the booking that way?

There are reflective coatings -- intentional or otherwise -- that can interfere with light-backed scanners of sort trying to read the MRZ.