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Print 35 comment(s) - last by Samus.. on Jul 29 at 5:57 PM
Self-boarding gates pose no security threat according to TSA

Air travel today is much more tedious for both passengers and airline workers in the U.S. than it was before 9/11. The screening of passengers for security now takes much more manpower and high-tech devices than in years past.

The most prolific use of tech is now in the security lines at airports where some travelers have to go through full body scanners -- some airports are also going high-tech in the terminal to make waiting for a flight more enjoyable for passengers with small things like USB ports in waiting area chairs to power gadgets and more.

USA Today reports that Continental is testing self-boarding gates at the Houston Intercontinental airport in Houston, Texas. The goal of the gates isn’t so much to make loading faster for passengers, but to free the agents up for other tasks. Continental reports that there will still be an agent at the self-boarding gates, but rather than scanning the boarding passes manually, the agent will be there to help with questions and other issues like seat upgrades.

Internationally, self-boarding gates have been used as far back as 2003. In the U.S. these self-boarding gates are not common, but that may soon change.

USA Today reports that the TSA has stated that, "[We] determined it [self-boarding gates] does not impact the security of the traveling public." That is because the passengers using the gates have already been screened before entering into the gate area. Analyst Michael Boyd said, "It's a great idea. Any reduction in human contact between employee and customer is good these days." He continued, "As long as you have someone to tell grandma where to stick the paper, you're fine."

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Oh boy....
By Souka on 7/28/2010 12:34:57 PM , Rating: 1
This sounds like those self-checkout's at HomeDepot/Lowes... ever seen how the work?

One person covers four checkout stations...typically all four stations have a customer waiting for an employee to come over and clear some error in the system...resulting in frustrated customers and longer lines.

Oh boy... I just can't wait for this sh*t to hit the airports I fly through.... ugh.




RE: Oh boy....
By Spivonious on 7/28/2010 12:38:00 PM , Rating: 5
It's more like the gates in a subway system. You feed your ticket through, it opens the gate.


RE: Oh boy....
By crleap on 7/28/2010 12:51:40 PM , Rating: 5
The failure of the self checkout isn't really anything to do with the system or the employee. It's got everything to do with the idiot who can't figure out how to scan the items, the ass who takes an entire cart of groceries to the station, and other moronic public errors.


RE: Oh boy....
By Hieyeck on 7/28/2010 1:03:44 PM , Rating: 2
Hello over-sized carryons.

Who's the genius who thought this up?


RE: Oh boy....
By ebakke on 7/28/2010 2:01:22 PM , Rating: 3
I agree with you in principle that people are stupid, but the self-check systems in stores use weight to detect if you've scanned the "right" item. The obvious goal being an attempt to prevent someone from scanning a pack of gum and then walking out with a $500 drill. That's why you consistently hear that stupid machine telling you to "place the item in the bagging area." Anyway, the system works fairly well for most things but not well at all for very light items and/or awkwardly shaped items. And the system only lets you "skip bagging" so many times before you're stuck standing there waiting for the employee to override the system.


RE: Oh boy....
By Samus on 7/29/2010 5:57:20 PM , Rating: 2
MULTIPASS!


RE: Oh boy....
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 7/28/2010 1:26:33 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
This sounds like those self-checkout's at HomeDepot/Lowes... ever seen how the work?

Works great for the 50% that actually know how to work the things, it really is simplistic. Usually I have to slow up so the machine can catch up to what I'm doing. I can get in and out in 1/3 the time a human being could possibly do it.


RE: Oh boy....
By MozeeToby on 7/28/2010 2:08:22 PM , Rating: 2
I worked as a cashier at a grocery store back in the day and I couldn't disagree more. As a cashier I could scan 100+ items per minute; using the self checkout you have to scan the item, place it in the bag, wait for the weight sensor to determine that you actually bagged the item you scanned. That last step is the problem, it adds at least 2 or 3 seconds per item making the self checkouts worthless for anything more than a few item purchases. Unless the cashiers and/or management (not enough people working) at the stores you visit are incompetent there is no way using the self checkout is faster for more than a couple items at a time.


RE: Oh boy....
By ertomas on 7/28/2010 2:29:54 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
I can get in and out in 1/3 the time a human being could possibly do it.

That's because The Force is strong within you...


RE: Oh boy....
By hughlle on 7/28/2010 2:47:18 PM , Rating: 2
I am equallly capable of using one.

Goto BnQ however, and every item you scan then get's placed on a weighing thing, i assume some sort of method to see if you're scanning a roll of tape once but taking away 40 or something) yet the moment i go for small items, the scales stop working propperly and i have to come and have a cashier override every small item.

Same for anything that requires proof of age, instead of pulling out my ID and hadning it over, i have to wait for the red lght to start flashing and then wait for an assistant with the keys and authority to come and deal with me, notmally about a minutes wait.

I see this as a stupid idea in terms of practicality, and also in terms of security and such.


RE: Oh boy....
By Flunk on 7/28/2010 1:47:24 PM , Rating: 2
They have them all over Europe and they're extremely easy to use. Scan Ticket here->beep->done type of thing. They'll actually make this faster.


RE: Oh boy....
By Hieyeck on 7/29/2010 8:42:37 AM , Rating: 5
Europe isn't full of Americans.


RE: Oh boy....
By vcolon on 7/28/10, Rating: 0
Losing Touch
By SlipDizzy on 7/28/2010 11:57:40 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Any reduction in human contact between employee and customer is good these days.


That's funny, I always enjoyed the brief moments of contact with other humans. I assume I'll have to get used to contact with robots and animals soon.




RE: Losing Touch
By ClownPuncher on 7/28/2010 12:23:32 PM , Rating: 4
That makes me think you've never worked customer service!


RE: Losing Touch
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 7/28/2010 1:22:38 PM , Rating: 4
Yea, If you have ever worked customer service at any point you are worshiping the machine god for less interaction between the general populace and a company. People are straight up stupid, rude, and clueless no matter where you go.


RE: Losing Touch
By Flunk on 7/28/2010 1:50:22 PM , Rating: 2
I completely agree. There is a service station near where I work were I can fill up my car and get a car wash without talking to anyone at all (and without stealing). It's fast easy and smooth, I love it. It works so well that I no longer get my car washed anywhere else in the winter (summer I wash it myself).


RE: Losing Touch
By tedrodai on 7/28/2010 1:16:13 PM , Rating: 2
No kidding. There are definitely aspects of different businesses where automating them would prove beneficial to all, but sometimes it's just the opposite.

Well, as long as there's someone on hand to help with the problems that the automated systems can't deal with...it'll probably work fine. Systems like those automated phone answering services that won't let you talk to an actual person unless you perform a demonic ritual (or even at all) can suck my penis.


Seems like an odd quote/thing to say
By Homerboy on 7/28/2010 11:52:01 AM , Rating: 2
"... Any reduction in human contact between employee and customer is good these days...."

yet I completely agree.




RE: Seems like an odd quote/thing to say
By 3minence on 7/28/2010 1:19:53 PM , Rating: 3
Now you get to deal with an emotionless machine rather than the usual rude service person. Sounds like an improvement to me.


RE: Seems like an odd quote/thing to say
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 7/28/2010 1:25:11 PM , Rating: 4
It works both ways, the service person is generally rude because that is how they are treated. Everyone believes they are right, that they are entitled, and they are assholes as a result. Any chance to cut down on the amount of interaction between customers and servicers is worth taking. It's called self reliance people, I know it is a somewhat new old concept, but it's here to stay this time, hopefully.


RE: Seems like an odd quote/thing to say
By tng on 7/28/2010 2:39:41 PM , Rating: 2
I fly allot and see this all the time. My favorite one was someone who indignantly used the the line "Do you know who I am?" He was told to step aside while a head count proceeded on the plane to see if he could get on.

I just smiled at the harassed gate agent and said that I wanted to get on the flight, but if it was full, I could take the next one no problem. I got the last seat on the plane and the self important ass who got there before me was left stranded.

It helps to be nice....


By AlexandertheBlue on 7/28/2010 7:47:50 PM , Rating: 2
Working in the service industry for over a decade, I've always done more for people who were reasonable, and who knew what they wanted. It can can be very hard to address someone's complaint if they won't tell you how they want their complaint handled.

I've never understood people who seem to derive pleasure from antagonizing the very people they need help from.


Well actually...
By MeesterNid on 7/28/2010 12:10:05 PM , Rating: 5
It's called George Bush Intercontinental Airport.




Less service is good, believe us!
By consumerwhore on 7/28/2010 1:38:22 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
but to free the agents up for other tasks
Like, being unemployed.

quote:
the agent will be there to help with [...] issues like seat upgrades
And by "issues" we mean "selling you stuff we gave for free before".

quote:
That is because the passengers using the gates have already been screened before entering into the gate area.
But who verifies the identity of the boarding person? What prevents me from switching my boarding pass with someone else in the terminal?

quote:
Any reduction in human contact between employee and customer is good for our shareholders these days.
FTFY.

quote:
"As long as you have someone to tell grandma where to stick the paper, you're fine."
Oh, so you're gonna have someone standing right there the whole time, ready to show all the morons how to insert a piece of paper in a slot, will ya? Well then, can't you have that person just, you know, fucking do it, thus automatically preventing any and all delays caused by said morons?




By Alexstarfire on 7/28/2010 5:10:17 PM , Rating: 1
Like anything the airlines do are going to be for the good of the customer. I'd love to think they could use the extra people to check people in faster.... but I know that's just a pipe dream. Yea, probably not needed for domestic flights, but international flights are a bitch. Standing in line for over 1 hour just to check in is insane.


By wolrah on 7/29/2010 11:31:32 AM , Rating: 1
quote:
But who verifies the identity of the boarding person? What prevents me from switching my boarding pass with someone else in the terminal?


Who cares? Did security go down anywhere because you switched passes after going through the checkpoint? The guy who was going to Boston is now going to Phoenix and vice versa? Oh noes!?!

quote:
Oh, so you're gonna have someone standing right there the whole time, ready to show all the morons how to insert a piece of paper in a slot, will ya? Well then, can't you have that person just, you know, fucking do it, thus automatically preventing any and all delays caused by said morons?


The attendant can be just somewhere in the vicinity doing something else where they can pop over to help with the morons who don't understand automatic ticket-taking machines.

I'm running with the assumption that these will be similar to those found in train systems around the world, so it's not like they're unfamiliar or rocket science to operate. You have four choices of how to insert your ticket, and with the better systems they're all right, so it's as close to idiot proof as possible.


Not far enough
By Suntan on 7/28/2010 1:39:59 PM , Rating: 2
While they are at it, they should eliminate flight attendants (at least from domestic flights) and just replace them with a vending machine or two at the back.

-Suntan




RE: Not far enough
By Alexstarfire on 7/28/2010 5:05:56 PM , Rating: 2
Might as well. Two less people to pay.


Other tasks
By chmilz on 7/28/2010 12:00:55 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
The goal of the gates isn’t so much to make loading faster for passengers, but to free the agents up for other tasks.
Maybe they can put those staff to use watching for suspicious activity so locals and tourists don't have to undergo virtual-rape to get on a plane.




next up...
By Smilin on 7/28/2010 1:07:54 PM , Rating: 2
There is NO way they are doing this to in any way benefit the customer.

Since you won't be talking to some apathetic, rude, overworked, short tempered, and uncaring gate attendants they'll be installing these instead..

http://www.google.com/patents?id=7aKbAAAAEBAJ&pg=P...




By Chaser on 7/29/2010 8:11:39 AM , Rating: 2
The typical gate wait. 30-45 minutes before a single announcement is made and a gate agent is present you have a line started with the 1st class passengers along with elites. Which in turn causes almost all the other passengers to join the "line". So by the time the first announcement is made you have droves of people standing at the gate regardless of the zone thats supposed to be called and boarding. So if you weren't standing there 30-45 minutes prior you have to fight your way through the crowd to the gate not knowing if you are cutting in front of someone that is in your zone.

I'm sure having no attendant to manage the line that they poorly manage today will help this problem greatly.




another shot at labor?
By TechIsGr8 on 7/28/10, Rating: -1
RE: another shot at labor?
By Suntan on 7/28/2010 1:37:37 PM , Rating: 2
Personally, I wouldn't shed too many tears over the elimination of a bunch of airport workers' jobs.

Only once did I ever have contact with an airline worker that gave me an honest smile. It was in Vancouver.

-Suntan


RE: another shot at labor?
By Nfarce on 7/28/2010 2:25:41 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Wonder how many jobs this "advancement" will eliminate. Wall Street just isn't happy as long as the workers are making anything more than free slave labor.


As opposed to what? Overpaid mindless government union TSA goons who like to abuse their power at the security checkpoint? Yeah I've dealt with the type: look at my car key fob over and over and over and then sit there slyly grinning at me knowing he's holding me up on purpose.

Besides, there is no such thing as "free slave labor" in America anymore. That is so 1700s and mid-1800s. And here's some food for thought: if you don't like your job or don't like your pay, pack your bags and haul ass to a better one. Or better yet, instead of getting off work and going to the bars or going home to turn on the Xbox, get off your ass and spend time to better YOURSELF to get a better job. It's the American way and always has been.


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