As the bean counters have us all checking ourselves in and tagging our own bags (ie: Doing the work that employees once did) aren't we all technically employee's of the airline and entitled to staff travel arrangements??
This check in system is purely about staff reduction. It may be efficient for the suits with an overnight bag, but it IS reducing service standards and reeks of low cost carrier. Interesting that the little check in daleks have cameras and I would assume taking our pictures as well - has to be some privacy issues there no?
Back on topic:
I experienced the newest A330 domestic config in late last year (2010) and while the IFE was good, it still is a generation behind SQ, EK and the like. And the seats in business class were disappointing. Luckily I had an outside aisle, but the centre 3 across is a backwards step. Looked like they had been taken from a B737 and jammed in.
And yes the interior is so dreary and drab. What has happened to QF??