Despite being a huge supporter of the low-cost airlines as well as most of their policies to operate a lean/mean company, I find the decisions that have been made regarding baggage are particularly worrying.
As more passengers take on more hand luggage, not only do we not have an opportunity to check the size & weight of the bag, if the aircraft was involved in an incident heavy bags falling from overhead lockers could cause serious injury. Simply, we cannot weigh the bag with no scales at the gate, and most gates do not have a baggage gauge to see if they would fit. Oversized bags will either make it through, or will cause delays as cabin crews try to get them checked at the gate. I'm sure I've seen at the gates at some airports in the US, facilities to check the limitations on baggage. Also, more bags means more hold ups at security as the staff have to check every few bags. This seems to all be done so that businessmen don't have to spend a few minutes waiting at the carousel in arrivals, but they'll now be waiting longer in the security lines with people taking everything on board, also potentially delaying departure.
Ryanair, like SWA, allow passengers who checkin online to be the first to board the aircraft. EasyJet I believe has a far fairer system. Passengers who arrive early to the airport to checkin will be placed in Group A/B/C depending on how early they arrive, and are then boarding by priority group. Those customers who chose to checkin online are assigned Group D. Whilst this would appear to be a defeat the benefits of checking in online, it actually means those who use online facilities can get to the airport only 20 or so minutes before departure and straight onto the aircraft, meanwhile those who have made the effort to get to the airport early are rewarded by being able to board early & get the pick of seats. I prefer the easyJet system, as not only is it fairer, but with hand luggage only pax the last to board, it makes it easier to make sure everyone is onboard ontime, giving us plenty of time to find missing pax.
Which easyJet stations actually use computers at the gate?