Do it yourself Travel
 

I've been hearing a lot lately about how purchasing your tickets and even checking your own baggage is moving even more and more toward the "self-service" route.

A lot of passengers seem to like this.

Then there's also the issue of the screening methods that airports use.

A lot of passengers don't like this.

Is it just me, or does the TSA not know what it's doing? It seems to me that letting passengers check their own bags is dangerous, to say the least, when it comes to security. And full body scanners and pat down just don't seem to be working at all.

Passengers checking their own bags strikes me as a huge security hole. Particularly if TSA is not properly screening all these checked bags. ;) It shows the problem with too much emphasis on reaction to past events rather than real safety concerns.

When I worked at the airport, many years ago, pre-TSA, people would try and check all sorts of dangerous goods, such as camp stoves that had fuel in them. Without a human being who is aware of what items are dangerous in checked baggage and has the ability to notice that there is a likelihood of such items (such as by seeing a passenger leaving on a camping trip and asking whether they packed a camp stove) a lot of dangerous items could inadvertently get through.

The issue to me, though, isn't self-check versus staff-check. When I've walked up to a counter to check my ordinary-looking suitcase, the airline staff typically have no idea what's in my suitcase. I could have all sorts of incredibly dangerous materials in my suitcase and no-one would ever know it ... until the TSA checks the bag, of course.

I don't think it makes any difference in terms of security whether I hand my bag over for screening (either explicitly or implicitly, say, by putting my bag on the conveyor belt), or if I hand my bag to an airline employee who hands the bag over for screening.

If self checkin BP kiosks and self-checkout at the supermarket are predictors of self-service baggage, it will be akin to a monkey operating a nuclear reactor. Lots of puzzled looks, screeching noises, jumping up and down, beating on the equipment, and maybe a bit of poo flinging. At least half the people I see using these systems have enough problems that they slow the line down to a crawl.

What real difference would it make if I handed my bomb over to an airline employee to put a tag on and turn around and put on the belt or if I put the tag on it myself and put it on the belt?

How much security do you believe is in them affixing the tag and moving the bag?

If pax can self-check their luggage, I'm not sure why it's such a security hole. Supposedly, the bag will still be screened for WEI.. Is it the fact that they are not matching an ID to a person when checking the bag that is the issue?

Wonder how long before we get to fly the plane?

Careful, Ryan Air might get a new idea ;)

None for a bomb. There is a safety difference, though, for dangerous goods that passengers inadvertently pack. I don't know that the safety difference is large enough to justify having an airline employee tagging the bag in terms of a cost benefit analysis. But the human interaction line of defense is gone and we are relying entirely on the TSA, and personally I'm not sure I trust them to be aware of what items are on the dangerous goods list (other than toner cartridges ;)) or to actually know how to screen for them.

Count me in! Lots of work peddling a Cessna 172. Gimme something that weighs more than 2005 Toyota Corolla. :)

^

I flew SAS I think in Scandinavia and it was self check the bags. I checked in at the kiosk and a baggage tag came out which I put on the luggage and then dropped it at the bag drop. I don't know how it could be any less safe than what we do now.

I don't know how having someone who works behind the counter put a baggage tag on the bag makes any difference.

I can see bags having multiple tags with different destinations.

Cost cutting is a needed thing but cutting customer service is foolhardy.

Next thing you know is that you will escort your checkin bag through security, you and it being scanned at the same time, then you will escort your bag to the tarmac line up and hand it to someone waiting to load it onto the aircraft, then proceed to the "stairs" to board your aircraft. Money saved on ground crew, and oh yes an umbrella for your use while waiting in line on the tarmac if it is raining, that is if your willing to pay $2.00 for its use.

I think you missed one step in your summary.

First you will inspect your bag for contraband.......