I think they have missed a trick and made it more complex than it needs to be. would it not have been easier to charge 5 pounds to use a check in agent and make web check in free. that way if they allowed the handling agent to collect/keep the fee then they could look to get free handling or even better be paid by the agents to handle them.
I cant see how this will reduce the number of check in agents unless they move to computerised check in again then they can hacve a bank of common check in desks at the moment there must be a minimum of one per flight and mostly 2