“ Jetstar jettisons check-in desks for self-service kiosks. “
I always make a point of chatting to the check in staff, the security staff and anyone else at the airport that has any power to make my life easier and more comfortable while I’m travelling.
I guess that will change in the future or are we to believe that the above is just an isolated decision for Jetstar only ?
I already have technology concerns about my lack of real relationships with many people I deal with daily. Thankfully my parents have not adopted any technology, ( mobile phones aside, they talk but can’t sms ) I still talk with them.
Several years ago a study concluded that check in kiosks could replace 3.5 people. No it’s not a science fiction movie and no doubt holograms and large screen replacements are on their way.
It’s hard to imagine calling a full technology relationship from searching, to booking, to check in, to sms boarding passes and then getting on a plane without having to talk or relate to someone, as a full service.
One of the claims of technology was to free us from the mundane processes to have more time to relate to each other. Feels like, we are having that relationship with technology rather than people.
So who will I talk to now ?
1 comment:
I agree with your concerns! Just look at the recent airport debacles experienced by Qantas and other airlines when the computers went down and check in had to be done "manually". Can you imagine how much worse it will be when it happens to Jetstar (and you KNOW it will at some stage!)and they have to "find" the staff to check people in? I shudder to think about it. And what about the travellers who, like your parents (and mine!) who are not tech savvy in the least way? Does that mean they have to fly only with an airline that still has human interaction? Or maybe it will turn out to be a "user pays" business model: check in with a human and pay an extra fee for the privilege? I can see that looming on the horizon...
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