New BA A zone checkin LGW North

[Bob Upndown]

Got to try out the new A zone at LGW North this morning.

All very bright and airey, a minimalist (or shall we say cheap :hmm:) approach to cladding the luggage belts and funky little ''pods'' behind which the agents now stand (no sitting for them apparently). Not much in the way of queue poles either (perhaps they're on their way).

BUT, and there's always a but isn't there - the checkin machines have been replaced with checkin and bag tag print machines.

Good: machine will read your boarding card from your phone in order to bring up your booking. Booking interface remains largely the same, printed bag tag, no issues so far.

Bad: Does BA really think that everyone is going to cope with attaching their own bag tag? I fly twice a week, still got the wrong end and b*gg*red up the receipt (OK, it was 0600 :\). I imagine my parents, very elderly but still sprightly, or Derek and Deirdre on their annual sojourne to Alicante. There's no way they're going to manage to fit that tag in a hurry or without needing assistance or a reprint.

Does getting the pax to print their own tag save time and money over having an agent do it who is familiar with the actions? Or perhaps I was too keen and should have presented myself, bag and tag to the agent????

Anyway, nice new area, perhaps some teething trouble is all...:D

[Hartington]

BA are simply catching up mwith other airlines. I've seen check in/bag tag machines from Delta and easyJet that I can think of. If their clientele can manage it the average BA person whould have no problem.

Yeah right!

[PAXboy]

I think the medium term risk is that some folks will see the machines and think, "Oh, yes, I can do this checkin and print my boarding card." and THEN find out that the machine spits the bag tag at them. But who will remove the old tag from their last journey? :hmm:

[Bob Upndown]

Good point Paxboy, though god forbid anyone should actually present themselves at a c/i desk with the old tag - at EDI they'll hang you from the nearest stout branch! Topic for another thread perhaps???

I should have said in my o/p that the agent scans your boarding card and bag tag.

Next week, I'll try printing the tag and taking it to the desk for the agent to affix; let's see if that works. As I noted, I'm intrigued as it's a fiddly procedure, if the pax have to fit their own tag I'll have to go to the airport with them to help out!

[Haven't a clue]

Next Customer Services Person's excuse goes something like this:

"Your bag hasn't arrived sir? Oh dear. That is most unusual. Did we tag it? You put the tag on yourself? Did you put it on properly? You think so? Well as we didn't tag it I'm afraid we can't accept responsibility for it. Unfortunately".

[PAXboy]

Haven't a clue That is a VERY naughty thought and the airlines will love you for it. :hmm:

It is a constant to see folks turn up with old tags still on and have certainly seen agents fumble the tags when putting them on. But one can hear the stupid argument:


We stopped them confirming the flight by phone, because it saved us money.
We made them check in on line, because it saved us money.
We made them print their own boarding pass.
We made them arrive even earlier than we need.
We still board wide-bodies one-pax-at-a-time to save paying for extra equipment and staff.
What else can we get them to do - to save us money???