No SSCI kiosks for Jetstar at SIN?

[hybridace101]

Does 3K now have self-service kiosks at SIN? I just find it weird that they are based in SIN, provide a barcode in their email itinerary to us which they say can be used for self-service kiosk check-in but when I flew SIN-KUL the last time, they said they only have the traditional counter check-in. They don't even have OLCI for flights out of SIN.

I would expect this out of a full-service carrier but an LCC that promotes a barcode in their itinerary? I just don't get it.

[Savage25]

I would expect this out of a full-service carrier but an LCC that promotes a barcode in their itinerary? I just don't get it.

Its clear you don't understand the LCC model then. Why wouldn't you expect a LCC to implement a feature that could actually cut operational costs?

[hybridace101]

I said I would expect a full-service carrier to not have kiosk check-in while an LCC is expected to have 1 but 3K doesn't have a kiosk and OLCI for intra-Asia flights. On my 3K flight the last time from SIN, I asked around where the kiosk was since OLCI wasn't available and the staff told me there was none and only traditional check-in was available. What I don't get is why would they make you think they have kiosk check-in when they actually do not have it for flights originating at SIN. Or why don't they implement it since they can save on operating costs by doing so?

I understand that some carriers like Ryanair provide incentives to use OLCI and soon may require all passengers to do this. In a way this will save operating costs as they won't need additional staff at airports anymore.

[Kyo]

I may get a lot of flak for this viewpoint. But LCCs cater to those who may not travel very often as well. They have no idea what to do, nor where to begin, and even if they figure out how to book/print the itinerary (barcode or not), they mostly aren't gonna bother reading 9 pages of Terms & Conditions nor anything else. They will rock up with all sorts of funny items to carry, with ridiculous questions, try to change their flight times "because my friend told me it was possible-lah!" and in general, completely no airline etiquette.

In short: Many of these have no idea how to travel, and self-check-in kiosks serve to only compound a problem. If no 'physical' person was present, I'd say many would probably end up missing their flight altogether! I can think of quite a few people I've had to explain things to, whilst in the queue at Changi's Budget Terminal (yes, I have flown budget) and its one of the things that absolutely cheese me right off - all these things some budget pax think they can get away with...

My theory is that it is impossible to annihilate the check-in desks in favour of kiosks. In Asia anyway.

I can just imagine my grandma trying to get on a flight by herself... she'd have NO idea how to work a keyboard let alone understand what's on the screen. There are many elderly people in Asia who fly who are illiterate and have tickets booked by the younger Internet-savvy generation also and this is by no means the only potential worse-case scenario I can come up with... ramble ramble..

[hybridace101]

Of course the check-in desks can't absolutely be eliminated. Having said that, I think LCCs are supposed to be intended for those who are probably college/university level or employees/staff in an entry-level position who haven't spent much time in their jobs yet to earn much for a full-service carrier (FSC). They are tech-savvy, hence encouragement of online booking and supposedly check-in. Hence I expect SIN, which is 3K's main base as well as one of the most hi-tech cities in the world to have this technology for LCCs. Not even TR has this technology.

For the record, I think OLCI is the best way to go although it would be good to have kiosk check-in. The former is best as the carrier does not have to spend for the required hardware at the airport as the passenger is assumed to take care of it from his end.

[inix]

I may get a lot of flak for this viewpoint. But LCCs cater to those who may not travel very often as well. They have no idea what to do, nor where to begin, and even if they figure out how to book/print the itinerary (barcode or not), they mostly aren't gonna bother reading 9 pages of Terms & Conditions nor anything else. They will rock up with all sorts of funny items to carry, with ridiculous questions, try to change their flight times "because my friend told me it was possible-lah!" and in general, completely no airline etiquette.

In short: Many of these have no idea how to travel, and self-check-in kiosks serve to only compound a problem. If no 'physical' person was present, I'd say many would probably end up missing their flight altogether! I can think of quite a few people I've had to explain things to, whilst in the queue at Changi's Budget Terminal (yes, I have flown budget) and its one of the things that absolutely cheese me right off - all these things some budget pax think they can get away with...

My theory is that it is impossible to annihilate the check-in desks in favour of kiosks. In Asia anyway.

I can just imagine my grandma trying to get on a flight by herself... she'd have NO idea how to work a keyboard let alone understand what's on the screen. There are many elderly people in Asia who fly who are illiterate and have tickets booked by the younger Internet-savvy generation also and this is by no means the only potential worse-case scenario I can come up with... ramble ramble..

Actually, I do believe that LCCs has a major market to play in business travel. Perhaps not anything beyond 3/4 hours, but if its 1-2 hours, I would, and do fly LCCs around as long as I'm being carried in the main terminals.

I quite like 3K. Not only because I dislike the "budget, budget" Tiger Airways and their pervasive lack-of-service attitude, but also because they fly from the main terminals. Which is pretty important IMO, considering we spend more time in terminals than flying itself. This brings me to the budget terminal in Singapore. I deem it as a disgrace, IMHO.

[hybridace101]

My other bone to pick with 3K though is they don't allow you to consume your own food. AK is the best LCC in Asia which provides all kinds of technology, and cheap food.

[RHG]

The food concern is more of a comfort issue. Its not very nice to consume durians in a small enclosed space or strong curries.

I don't think anyone would mind if you chew mints or drink your own water onboard especially if you are taking medicines.

[hybridace101]

In fairness, I don't want to smell durians. However I haven't heard that that kind of food is eaten frequently on-board. Maybe they don't want to spend time cleaning-up the cabin as it could delay the next flight. I definitely know LCCs have tight turnaround times and request passengers to cooperate to keep fares low in the future.

The main reason why I chose 3K to fly SIN-KUL was that it served the main terminal. While I was slightly reluctant at first to fly AK because it operated out of KUL's LCCT, I really liked its service. At least it arrived in SIN's T1.

[Kiwi]

Lots of ridiculous assumptions here about who flies LCCs