Yes the kiosks do nothing for me - if in F / R just refuse to use them and grab a staff member to check you in. Haven't tried that in J so don't know how that will go down but F is no problem.
Yep - the kiosks are perfect for easy, straightforward itineraries that don't require complicated through-checkins, TIMATIC immigration rule lookups etc. If your passport isn't one that usually grants free reign travel to most countries then that will be a problem (for example, some passports allow the holder a 96 hour VFTF (Visa-Free Transit Facility) for Singapore, however the kiosk expects a physical visa with an MRZ (that is requests to be scanned) so in the absence of that, it resorts to asking for assistance).
The problem moreso comes when there aren't actually enough staff around to handle the sheer volume of pax that are checking into SQ's flights (they're acutely aware that their planes are departing MEL chockers full I'm sure). It was even a random Thursday night and the amount of pax was quite crazy. The few who were there, were just running around dealing with kiosk errors, bag drop machine errors and a host of other dramas.
Doesn't help that there's no signage prior to the kiosks too to explain the steps - it felt like many Y pax were standing in the bag-drop line assuming it was a regular check-in line as the line was just that long.
Some others who were flying J were getting disgruntled too at the absolute chaos that was all around.
It appears there was only one staff member assigned to F/J/W check-in so the lines there were insane too.
MN do you want me to forward this to MEL Station Manager? Happy to add youir contact details if you so desire.
Yes please - I think they need to know that the experience that many are facing is not the experience that a premium carrier should offer, especially ex-MEL (or SYD or BNE or ADL for that matter). When you get used to the good times and then they change in the negative direction, it doesn't sit well. Thanks again CE, good on you mate.
Flying J out of MEL on Boxing Day so interested in others experiences of this new check in process. Doesn't sound great.
Oh gosh, all I can say is arrive there early (I'm talking 4.5+ hours), get to the front of the J check-in line and wait till the agents appear. Hopefully some forward planning will avoid the chaos that will inevitably ensue after you're well and truly ensconced in the MEL SQ J lounge. Boxing Day just adds another layer of pressure to the pressure cooker at MEL that's already at bursting stage!
If a plain boarding pass makes the list of the top 2 things to complain about then it sounds to me like they are doing pretty well. This makes me feel more positive about my flight with them in a few months.
That's certainly true - you'd expect plain, non-premium BPs from LCCs like JQ. Even VA domestic BPs at least have some colour and shine to them. I (as I'm sure many here, we are on AFF after all) like to collect/hold onto/store BPs from all the trips - as memories of the trips but also the sheer hard work that went into collecting the miles required for the redemptions. My wife does think I'm crazy for keeping all of them, but they are a damn good memento you can't deny that.
You'd agree that
this just looks (and feels) so much better than
this (even though they have effectively the same role).
The gripes were mainly due to the shift from counter to kiosk check-in procedures, implemented at a time when the exact opposite should be happening (due to the surge in travel numbers over this Xmas/NY period). A kiosk just doesn't have an iota of the capabilities of a check-in agent, especially when it comes to things such as through check-ins or TIMATIC rule lookups etc.
As I said before, it very well could be misplaced anger/frustration, but I really expected better from SQ. I did praise them in the OP and will still fly with them, it's just that these cost-cutting measures (as that's all they can be described as) aren't necessary when they're still commanding premium prices and miles.
Same in BNE except we don’t have F/R.
They did have 2 manned J check ins but we were third in the queue so another agent led us to the kiosk and checked us in.
If you were third in queue, how long prior to departure did you arrive at check-in? I can't imagine you only being the third if you got there at the standard 3 hours.
Problem. Now we had to drop our bag and only 1 line open with a long line of Y pax. Another fellow came and opened the bag drop we were standing in front of but it took a few minutes before it started. Will refuse to use the kiosk next time.
Bingo. Herein lies the crux of the problem. For kiosk check-in to work well, it needs a well-designed (read: spacious and well-signed) area that makes it logical to know what to do.
When you arrive at MEL and see a line long enough to reach AKL, only confusion can ensue (unless you're experienced in chaotic airport environments on a regular basis).
I flew with them on a few flights in the last few weeks, in Y, and have to say was less than impressed. Check in process in Melbourne is shambolic. I am VA gold, so went straight for the priority line, but felt sorry for the people lining up in the Y lines.
Thanks for validating my experiences,
@PlutekPlutek. The check-in at MEL really is shambolic, I'd expect that with QF or another airline that has publicly demonstrated cost-cutting. Not with SQ who I've come to expect so much of. The people in the Y lines (of which we were part of) really had a hard gig.
On the very last flight back to SYD, my luggage was damaged. Basically the zipper on the front compartment was torn off, and the front compartment is now permanently open and dangling/hanging off the front of the suitcase. I raised it with them via their portal, and they basically said that it is the handlers problem, and nothing they can do. No accountability or responsibility, or proactiveness to help you. Very disappointing, and I know I will go out of my way to avoid to fly them in the future. If everything goes fine, they are an ok airline, but if something goes wrong, their customer service sucks.
Oh gosh, that's not good. Sorry to hear about this.
I've had good experiences with damaged baggage in the past (most recently being mid-July), but that could all be very different now (with all the craziness going on with Swissport as we all know).
Thanks everyone for chiming in, looking forward to more experiences/evidence as more chime in.
