Cebu Pacific’s Self-service Check-in, A Fail!

So you thought am quite an observant frequent traveler, always able to spot anything that is new or something that went a missing? I thought so too hahaha! But come to think of it, I only noticed this today, exactly 12:22PM 31 May 2012. But the guards told me those boxes have been in place as early as “sometime March 2012”. Whoa! How Many flights have I ever flown out of Mactan since then? Honestly, it was only today that I noticed those two boxes!

You guessed it! I broke off my check-in queue (I was early anyway) and went to have a closer look at these “ATM”-looking gadgets by the check-in lobby and hoping I could probably use them too! Alas dimalas, its not anymore in use. Awk! Two guards told me that these ‘things’ were only used for about a day and they caused both passengers and crew some trouble instead of convenience. I laughed at their declaration and asked further how these gadgets ever became an issue.

According to them, (I mean the two guards), those machines do work until now, if only for the sake of working. BUT you cannot choose nor change seats using them. Plus if you have baggage, you still go line up at the check-in counters manned by humans since they have removed the ‘express counter’ also manned by a homo sapien! Both guards were telling me a litany of more issues that happened to this and that passenger, but I either forgot those ‘other’ issues or was not anymore interested to hear, therefore I forgot hehe.

Bottomline, those are yellow elephants as of now! Yep, white elephants are bigger he hehe he he! I did ask the guards how come they know those issues and the reply was a chorus of “nakita namin sir”. When I asked how come the machines were still on when they’re not being used, both guards said they don’t know that part anymore, but they do think its a waste of electricity. I agree! Oh, back at the check-in counter, I asked the girl as to when those machines would be ever usable. The reply was a shrug with a hesitant but smiling “soon sir”!

Btw, if I were Microsoft Philippines, I would hound Cebu Pacific to put those machines out if they’re not serving the purpose as they seem incriminating! Why? Well, for the lowly me who spent some 6 years in the technology group of my previous employer, what came to mind was… “ayan, ang lalakas ng loob gumamit ng Windows 7, nasubukan na ba nila ang networkability programmability nyan considering that it should talk to their (surely) legacy airline system?” That view is/was probably too randomly harsh and off tangent for me to say, but who can blame me to think so, eh log-in screen lang and ‘Windows 7’ ang nakikita ko?!

Hehe anyway, whatever the truth, its not working and they should burn those boxes, and probably donate (to me) the PCs just sitting uselessly idle in that corner that has become the favorite ‘cabinet’ of the guards where they keep their personal belongings, including their lunch boxes!

Oh hey, forget this self-service thingy even if they are resurrected ‘soon’! I do love their web-check-in and that should be convenience enough or self-service enough! There’s a glitch in that routine yes, but to the advantage of the lowly passenger like me hahaha! No am not telling what that kink is! Basta masaya ang web-check-in and we luvvit… period, point, tuldok!

Oh well, its really time every Juan flies… and its more fun!