FR have been pushing to have passengers carry their own bags to the gate for as long as I can remember. The argument being that if folks travelling on trains, coaches or ferries can do it why can't those flying do it? The + for FR would mean even fewer staff and less equipment needed and they would also be able to leave passengers who are late to the gate behind without fear of falling foul of the security requirements surrounding unaccompanied baggage on board because in effect there shouldn't be any if this process was adopted.
Allowing passengers to carry their one hold baggage to the gate isn't impossible but introducing this process would be complicated in UK airports and the majority of airports throughout Europe because they are designed around the principal of passive in line hold baggage screening (100% HBS). To redesign and re-fashion airports to allow passengers to carry (or trolley) their bags to the gate would costs Millions upon Millions and who do you think will pay for that? certainly not FR or Mr MOL!
And just think of the chaos that may ensue around the terminals;
big queues at Security as everyone presents their hold baggage for screening before crossing the landside/airside boundary!
You'd find it difficult to get into the shops, restaurants, toilets and other facilities because of the sheer mass of trollies and baggage around.
You'd still have to queue again at some point to 'check-in' your baggage at the gate in order that it could then be handed over to the loading teams, I don't think allowing passengers to actually load their own baggage would ever be accepted, who would ensure correct weight distribution?
Came across this article this morning during my daily trawl through the E-newspapers.
New €5 Ryanair charge as check-in desks scrapped - National News, Frontpage - Independent.ie
Good old MOL
