In April 2023, Alaska Airlines announced plans to radically change the airport check-in experience. The airline appears to have just implemented a new restriction that’s part of this plan, as flagged by JT Genter.
Alaska Airlines says goodbye to the airport kiosk
Alaska has updated its travel advisories page, to outline a new restriction on how you can get your boarding pass at the airport. You’re of course encouraged to get your boarding pass prior to getting to the airport using your own smartphone. But if you don’t show up at the airport with a boarding pass, you’ll no longer be able to print it at one of the kiosks. Rather, you’ll have to see an agent.
Here’s how the airline explains this:
Our airport kiosks no longer print boarding passes—this means you’ll need to check in and access your boarding passes through the Alaska Airlines mobile app, from a computer, mobile device, or print them at home. If you’re checking bags, you’ll use our new bag tag stations to print bag tags, add a bag, or pay for your checked baggage. If you are unable to obtain your boarding pass before arriving at the airport, please see an agent for a paper version.
How Alaska Airlines is changing the airport check-in experience
Alaska is overhauling the airport check-in experience in a pretty bold way, and kiosks no longer printing boarding passes is a small part of that. Alaska is investing $2.5 billion in its airport lobbies, with the goal of getting passengers from the check-in hall and through security in five minutes or less.
Here are the key aspects of this:
- Passengers will be encouraged to check-in using their smartphone, and the airline is hoping that 90% of people will eventually check-in via this method
- Alaska will no longer have traditional airport check-in kiosks, but will instead replace those with new bag tag stations, where passengers will be able to pay for and tag checked bags using iPad tablets, and put the bags on the belt themselves
- There will still be customer service agents available, should you need help
This whole plan is essentially based on Alaska’s belief that most passengers will not only embrace using these self-service options, but will be able to use them without too much friction. I’m sure Gen Z passengers won’t have any issues with that, while I imagine some Baby Boomers may feel differently.
Only time will tell if this makes the airport check-in experience faster, or simply increases wait times to see an agent.
Bottom line
Alaska Airlines is changing the airport check-in process. In the near future we’re going to see airport kiosks fully eliminated, though in the meantime, kiosks no longer print boarding passes. The airline encourages passengers to check-in prior to arriving at the airport. If you need a boarding pass once at the airport, you’ll have to see an agent.
What do you make of Alaska’s updates to airport check-in?
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