If AA is so hard up it has to charge its best customers to use their own Frequent Flyer miles, would it not make better business sense to keep these people on board and loyal to the airline by dropping these high charges, and spreading the burden.

Why not charge $2.50 for each passenger who refuses to use an automated check in terminal. Seems the only way many infrequent travellers will be persuaded to stop queueing.

With this small charge across the network, many more dollars will be raised, those who travel infrequently and take up the valuable time of check in agents will be charged for the privilege (maybe exempt for those over 70..) and the number of check in desks and agents could be reduced, freeing up the space leased in terminals, and reducing the salary costs as fewer check in agents are required, and saving money for both passengers and the airline as fewer people miss flights because of queus at the airport.