Here's a typical and very recent experience :

I arrived in JNB from HDS this afternoon at 3 p.m., continuing this evening on KL to AMS. I had no luggage to check, so I went to the AF/KL ticket office and asked them to print me a boarding card so that I could proceed through security and immigrations to the lounge. No way they could or would do this. I had to wait until regular check-in opened at 6.15, because all passengers had to go through "security" (this procedure consist of a handing your ticket and passport to a pimply youth who hopes to celebrate this 18th birthday sometime next year. Said youth will glance at your passport, and then spend several minutes trying to find your name on a passengers manifest before returning your your documents). This excuse was of course a bunch of bull. When I connect from certain tiny domestic SA airports such as MQP, I routinely go to the SAA ticket office, who will happily check me in for my KL flight and issue a boarding card. Upon arrival in JNB I then go directly through real security and immigrations, bypassing KL entirely. So much for "security reasons". Unfortunately this does not work at HDS, where all staff are employees of the private airport operator, not SAA. They are too lazy to check pax in to final destination, using the excuse that "HDS is not an international airport, whatever that has got to do with it!

I went to the arrivals lounge in the Intercontinental Hotel, and returned to KL check-in just before 6.15, only to be told by the KL supervisor that this was the time KL staff started work, not when they started checking in pax. Great!
After another 20 minute wait I showed my ticket and passport to the pimply youth and, having only carry-ons, tried to sneak past the luggage weighing and shrink-wrapping station. No joy! I was told I had to wait in the same line, as the luggage weighing lady was the one and only person who could put business class tags on my carry-ons. A very important task that requires extensive training, apparently.

When I finally got to check-in, I asked whether I could have the seat next to mine blocked. I knew that WBC was far from full, so I figured this was the least they could do for me after keeping me waiting for over 3 1/2 hours. "We don't do this", was the response. I asked the agent whether she would like me to get the supervisor, and without waiting for her answer I went and did so. Suddenly everything was possible, a phone call was made and the seat blocked (although I will only believe it when I see it). The helpful gate agent then told me I had been her first passenger today, and asked whether I would like to fill out a customer satisfaction form. It shall be a pleasure to oblige! Question fourteen reads :

"Where did you receive your boarding pass?"

The third option is : "airport ticket office"

Johan (who is finally in the KL lounge)