Imagine how much boarding time could be slashed if robots handled the baggage. The line stops moving when people are trying to store their bags, even if stepping aside for a moment would significantly reduce delays for others.
If the airlines cared about this problem, they could eliminate much of it by dropping the checked baggage surcharges. Enormous bags that barely fit or whose owners can't lift them was IIRC not as much a problem 12 years ago, when checked luggage was free.
Or they could charge for both services. Or charge a fee fr total poundage of passengers and their luggage.
Yeah, it has become more awkward to board since they imposed these fees. I switched to a smaller bag so I could carry it on.
And I fly Southwest when its possible. They don't have fees for the first few bags and their boarding process has actually gotten better in the last few years.
