How self-service travel became another unpaid job for travelers

A new travel trend is shifting airport and app-based tasks onto passengers without corresponding support, creating “self-service fatigue.” The issue is highlighted through examples reported in the U.S. After a traveler from Seattle to Billings, Montana, struggled to check a single bag via kiosks, she said staff nearby ignored her while the machine repeatedly rejected the luggage. Experts interviewed for the report said self-service technology is intended to enhance human assistance, but failures leave travelers to handle problems alone, increasing cognitive load during delays or disruptions. Another account involved a frozen airline app that prevented seat selection; the traveler eventually boarded only after paying a $35 fee to use a human. Separate problems were described with ridesharing app resolution loops that ended without access to a representative. The article examines how baggage-tagging and app glitches intensify emotional labor in DIY travel.