As well as the obvious weight and balance issues in both of these incidents, what about the security issues?
How did 16 extra pax get on board without the crew knowing or did the cabin crew have a different count to the pilots? If they did what sort of procedures allow that to not be compared prior to flight?
There is also the issue of the new kiosk/home computer check in. How does the kiosk/computer know that (for example take any number) the 20 larger than normal footballer pax sitting together may pose a weight and balance problem? Since this system replaces the previous human one who could see this problem as it evolves, what computer input looks at this?
Surely when the bright young things came up with this someone should have asked the questions.
I recently went SYD/MEL/SYD on another carrier using the home computer printout and at no time was my identity checked against my boarding pass.
Like automated aircraft ,the automated checkin systems seems to have evolved into a system that has thrown the baby out with the bathwater.
Wunwing