Qantas Next Generation Check-in fails the first test

Last month I wrote a post about the Next Generation check-in area at Qantas: Hello machine, can I charm you into an upgrade?. This week I put the new system to the test.

Since I was travelling to Melbourne, and only had cabin luggage – I thought I would give it a go.  Three problems:

1. It didn’t work
2. It didn’t work
3. It didn’t work

I list it three times, as there were three service ‘touch points’ for this exercise:

1. I swiped my card – it failed and asked me to try again. I tried again, and it told me I was checked in, and to go to the ‘service desk’ if I didn’t have any luggage to check-in
2. The only desk I could see which did have a sign on it with a Qantas logo – was an airport information desk and not a Qantas service desk. I abandoned this exercise, on the basis I could sort this out at the Qantas Club – which I did – the old fashioned way – with a boarding pass – only to be used as a “last resort”
3. Computer said ‘Yes’ – I was checked in – but no text of my seat number etc ever arrived. I had to use the old fashioned boarding pass they had kindly printed for me.

Well – to be fair, there may have been a problem with the operator (me!) so I will give it another go tomorrow on my return flight.

I’m doing a bit of domestic travel in the next few week, so I will keep you posted.