Why is AY priority check-in at HEL such a crap experience nowadays? I did not have any bags to check but just wanted to collect a proper boarding pass. What a mistake.

I was the only one at Plat/OWE queue and one passenger being processed at the plat desk. The Biz/OWS queue was a bit longer and only one agent per queue.

However, this one passenger took at least 15 minutes to be processed at the Plat desk, the agent wondering if she can override R block in Altea for an exit row and then quoting upgrade prices, phoning somewhere else (apparently service desk or something). Her colleague from C desk also visited her trying to assist.

What gripes me here is that the C desk happily continued processing only her own queue, ignoring me and the others at the Plat queue. (No one really recognised our existence or directed to other desks, the service desk not that far was free most of the time.) When I finally got to the desk the agent did not bother to apologise for the wait until I gave a piece of my mind about their waiting times and queue management policies.

I think that from my personal (work) experience I have some kind of idea what airline ground handling is or what it should be and I do not think this is it. I also know how overly complicated the AY recruiting procedure for Service Agents is and yet they end up with this kind of people?

Swissport handling only Norra ATR flights and AY’s baggage, not their check-in.

To put it simple: that sucks. Would hope check-in agents would be empowered to use their situation awareness and figure out what's smart to keep things running smooth. IMO knowing Amadeus/Sabre/*insert any GDS or airline specific system* isn't the key to a good recruitment. If you don't have an eye for solving stuff (like simple queue management), then having great computing skills won't rescue you.

A recent example of mine, when a check-in agent does a smart move: I was collecting BPs at LGW for my return booking, because I was about to do an immediate turnaround and didn't wish to go landside at my next stop. Wasn't sure, if the self-service kiosk would permit it or not, plus it wasn't busy, so went to the elite tier queues. I was standing in line to the Club Europe/World/OWS desks. There was one or two of those manned and both (or the sole one - sorry, can't remember anymore) were occupied upon my arrival. One First/OWE desk was open and there was nobody being attended. I was the only one around. The First/OWE agent winked me over. Now that's what I call queue management with an eye for situations. I'm most certain the lower class desks would've done the same for any First/OWE pax waiting. It wasn't a big deal, but a small gesture that impressed me.

(Well, the agent wen't off duty or for a break after that, so perhaps I was too much to cope with? )