What Do You Think Of DIY Check-In?

[SQ22]

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...air-travellers

Singapore Airlines (SIA) and SilkAir travellers at Changi Airport's Terminal 2 can now print their own boarding passes and luggage tags.

In the airport's biggest rollout yet of self-service check-in kiosks, close to 25 new machines have been installed across SIA and SilkAir's check-in rows.

After a passenger has his passport verified, the machine prints the boarding pass and luggage tags.

What do you think of this initiative? Frankly, I wouldn't mind doing this if I was travelling with JetStar (already been around for a while). But if I was flying SIA or SilkAir, for the kind of price I pay, I prefer a check-in agent to serve me. The human touch makes a difference. After all, it's SIA's warm service that distinguishes it from its competitors, notwithstanding the fact that check-in is an outsourced job function.

In any case, I had an unpleasant experience with Jetstar five months back. I was travelling outbound by 3K and inbound by TR, so I had to get a stamp from a physical counter certifying I did have a return ticket. It took me a while to realise this, and I had to run from the counter at Row 3 where I was given this instruction to another at Row 2 to get the stamping done. There was no sign anywhere at the second counter indicating its role as a stamping counter. Worse, the staff there did not even check my TR ticket. The stamp was given with no questions asked. If a kind ground staff assisting passengers at the DIY booth hadn't informed me about the stamping procedure, I might have been denied entry at the gate. Lol.

[concept|infinit]

I refuse to use DIY check-ins for SQ.
Same sentiments as the OP- if I am paying for SQ, I would want a human check-in agent.

[CarbonMan]

I refuse to use DIY check-ins for SQ.
Same sentiments as the OP- if I am paying for SQ, I would want a human check-in agent.

Only if the queue is not long, otherwise I'll rather help myself.

[Jumbojet Lover]

I thought self-service check-in was trialed before and rolled back thereafter at SIN? Having lived in North America for a few years, I actually don't mind self-service kiosks with no queue to queuing for conventional check-in counters with agents who may not be in the best of moods.

[Metropolitan Airlines]

I believe DIY check in has been available through many other airlines, such as Qantas (Domestic).

Therefore if the queue for manned counters are long, I think self check-in will be a good option.

The only drawback for automation is that if your luggage exceeds the allowance, you will probably get rejected and have to re-check in at a manual counter; whilst for a manual counter, you might possibly able to sneak in a couple more hundred grams of luggage above limit without being questioned.

[flyguy]

a few years back, SQ have quite a number of such self-ticketing and boarding kiosks - but was removed later as low usage. But as then one when has check-in luggage after getting the self boarding pass, one still have to go to the manual bag drop in counter to drop off the bags and if there are a few passengers ahead, then one still have to queue for a while.
But I share the same sentiments as some who mentioned that for SQ and a premium airline, I would rather go to a manned "human" check-in counter. Otherwise it would seem like using a budget airline which because of the savings is ok to self-serve. But for premium airlines, its a different matter and there's no real savings in ticket price for the passengers.

[Hajimbo]

Tbh, I think its for the better to have these Self Check-In kiosk especially to cater those regional flights that a lot of them departure around 6-9 am in the morning. If you've taken the flights around those time.. you can imagine how long the queue must be especially for the Y class passengers... Nightmare

[flying.monkeyz]

I refuse to use DIY check-ins for SQ.
Same sentiments as the OP- if I am paying for SQ, I would want a human check-in agent.

The human check-in agents are not SQ. they are from handling agent, majority foreign talents and poorly trained to handle even basic service delivery.

[KC*]

The fact that DIY facilities are available and some people use them makes it less crowded at the full service counters, right? That's fine to me and I may even appreciate using the DIY option when the queues are long.

I will of course be disappointed if they reduce the number of manned counters and worse, as is done in some European cities, charge a fee for checking-in at service counters.

And I'd be devastated if the DIY software is as bad as the SQ Website.

[9V-SIA]

LHR T2 has it.

Long queues at SQ Y check in because of unfamiliarity of Singaporeans to using it.

So it's good that they introduce it to familiarise us to DIY check in ( that's a worldwide trend ).

Otherwise like "sua ku"

[SQ22]

I guess if one travels frequently enough, as some of the contributors here do, and queues are long, then yes, the DIY feature would be useful. People like me who travel only say once a quarter or less may still crave for the full service offered by human check-in agents. A DIY check-in counter wouldn't be able to answer your queries or offer you that extra few hundred grammes of check-in luggage, as someone put it.

[SQ025]

I will definetly not using them. It will be nightmare to scan passport, possibly scan visa, get everything printed and still queue at the baggage drop-off. Doesnt sound to me that you gonna save time. And a lot of people will struggle to find their way through.

Many more people would ues online check-in out of SIN, if the walk to the counter to "verify" Visa wouldnt be required. I wonder how how this is solved with the check-in kiosk.

[SQ22]

IMHO, a DIY check-in counter would be useful only if you're travelling light. Like if you're off to BKK on a 3-day trip with only a small carry-on.

[SQueeze]

I will only use it to avoid queue and nothing else. As of now, no real reason to do it because I can avail priority queue / check in.

I think this is the future though (In SIn and elsewhere) so we all should get used to it.

[ninervictor]

I will still prefer agent. Useful if you have baggage that weighs 24 - 25 kg borderline of excess