Having a closed off gate area where people can be boarded as they enter, then sit and wait is a huge help to the airlines as it allows passengers to be processed whilst cleaning/catering etc is going on, thus any missing passengers can be found earlier.
Oh dear
Leezyjet, there you go speaking good truths and sensible ideas again. Please do try and restrain yourself. Surely you must know that the folks that recently rebuilt LTN ensured that there would be a minimum of such gates? Not to mention NO travellators as they would cost far too much money.
Also, to be fair, I think that gate staff are often rushing from one boarding to the next and being able to get pax into an enclosed area and then monitor them for 15 minutes - is just not going to happen. It is one of those elements that boarders on the Law of Diminishing Returns. Reduce staffing to save money - but then have more trouble processing pax in a short time and you might have to delay the departure and costs go up.