⭐ 1-Star Check-in Experience: BNE International
Over the weekend, I helped my mother check in for her Singapore Airlines (SQ) flight at Brisbane International. What we encountered raises serious questions about the current direction of airport self-service.
The Amadeus check-in kiosks appear to have almost completely replaced staffed counters. While this may work for “digital natives”, it is deeply problematic for many travellers – especially older passengers, nervous flyers, families, and anyone dealing with international documentation.
Some of the usability issues were striking:
* The passport scanning area was poorly located and not visually obvious
* It sat next to another reader (presumably for boarding passes or IDs) with no flashing lights, arrows, or clear guidance ↔️
* The on-screen graphics did not match the physical layout of the machine
* Once the passport was finally scanned, the traveller was presented with dense text screens 🤢 (particularly around Singapore and European entry requirements) with little visual guidance
Yes, the old queues at check-in counters are gone – but they’ve been replaced by something arguably worse: a system that transfers complexity and stress onto the passenger.
Even for someone who has worked in the travel and airline industry for 15+ years, this was a frustrating and unpleasant experience. For a less confident traveller, it would have been overwhelming.
This raises an important question: Is this a problem specific to the Amadeus kiosk design, or is this how BNE International (and potentially other airports) now expects all international passengers to check in?
Digitisation should remove friction – not add it.