With 90 job cuts at SYD international and all 230 staff being offered redundancies, there is talk in the media that this will result in self check-in kiosks and bag drop facilities

With 90 job cuts at SYD international and all 230 staff being offered redundancies, there is talk in the media that this will result in self check-in kiosks and bag drop facilities. If this were to happen, would this not signal a move towards being a budget airline? Checking in at a self check-in kiosk or bag drop reminds me flying on easyJet or Ryanair. Nothing wrong with this, they are self-confessed budget airlines. Budget airlines have a place in the aviation world.

Yes, Qantas has self check-in kiosks and bag drop at domestic terminals around Australia, however, checking in for an international flight in this fashion seems like a bit of an anticlimax. Particularly given Australians are travelling much longer hours than most other travellers because of its geographic position. It would be a great shame to lose the personal touch and human interaction you get when checking in at the counter, or at least to not be given the choice.

I dont think it would represent move towards Budget Airline. PE, J, F class tickets are not available on Budget airlines. Neither is catering standard in economy. I would lean towards your previous comments about de-unionising staff, which is key for the airline to become profitable. 

Trevor, the simple answer is "contractor" , Virgin & Jetstar ( and alot of other international airlaines) both use a vast array of contractors to supply a vast range of services and including personel . This changes the game when you ( the company) outsource , I can only imagine this is fundamental to the way Qantas will operate into the future. 

There's probably a security issue regarding automated bag drops, but I honestly wouldn't be too surprised if the Trans Tasman implementation of Next Generation Check In is stepped up to Phase II and given a broader implementation.

While it's all well and good to talk about a "personal touch", the only customers worth giving a personal touch to are your premium cabin and elite status ones, and the domestic implementation sees them offered a Service Desk.

From my perspective, as someone who flies internationally enough to whinge about check-in queues and immigration queues and boarding queues and so on and so forth, the idea of my FF check, ETKT/OLCI check and ID check all being automated at a NGCI tower, followed by outbound SmartGate immigration, is divine - one step closer to teleportation.

I don't think it's a bad idea at all, given my long history of staffers and officials of unshakably and unbearably surly disposition.

No, I suspect such fears are purely speculation from a hypercritical media and does not sound at all like sensible business.

Important to note that Air New Zealand offer only self service at domestic ports. There are desks available if you have trouble with the kiosks or are travelling as a group/special assistance or premium passenger. This has revolutionised domestic travel in NZ