I wonder how long it's going to be before some airline gets the bright idea to open up an express check-in line, but charge $10/pp for the "privilege" to do so? Keep it separate from the elite check-ins to prevent the appearance of status devaluation, but extort a premium from the passengers who are facing increasingly bad consequences if they miss their flight, due to the ever-rising load factors.

Hmm, maybe I shouldn't post this idea <delete><delete><delete>...