Next Generation Check-in - Is Qantas becoming a half-full service airline?

It becomes obvious pretty quickly, that really the Next Generation Check-In is just a way of Qantas reducing service, and making passengers do what the airline used to do.

Instead of chatting to a counter attendant, and them tagging your luggage, you get no personal interaction, and you have to do-it-yourself.

You get to:

• print your boarding pass
• print your luggage tag
• attach your tag to your luggage

All formerly done by check in staff.

OK - you can eliminate the luggage tag if you use one of Qantas's new electronic tags, but unless you are top of the tier in frequent flyer status - you get to buy your own tag for $50.

You're meant to be able to eliminate the boarding pass - but I never get the promised sms.

So not only do you have to do the work you have to pay for it as well.

Seems like Qantas is becoming a half-full service airline - which I suppose means it's heading to becoming a half-empty one.