Self-service fatigue hits travel: Why are we having a DIY backlash?

Self-service travel systems are increasingly drawing backlash as failures leave passengers to manage problems without adequate human support, according to accounts gathered in the report. Judy Williams described a flight from Seattle to Billings, Montana, where she waited in two lines to check a single bag and then faced repeated rejection from a kiosk, while nearby staff ignored her. After the machine accepted the luggage, she said staff apologized, but the episode highlighted how “failed, insufficient or ineffective” self-service can add emotional labor during already stressful travel conditions. The article also cites a psychology professor who said extra cognitive load can overwhelm people when apps freeze. Joachim Rodriguez y Romero reported that an airline mobile app froze while he tried to check in early, forcing him to pay a $35 fee to get human help for boarding. A separate experience described a loop in an app help center and a lack of human connection when a payment issue occurred.