Today, American Airlines announced that it is introducing international check-in capabilities to its self-service machines. Now, the difference between an internationally equipped check-in machine and one only suitable for domestic is the introduction of a passport reader, to allow passengers to scan their machine readable passport and thus supply information that is required prior to travel.
We can only assume it is a matter of cost that they didn’t build this into the machines at the beginning. Even people connecting from regional airports can be traveling internationally and need to supply this information. The information can also be entered in advance ahead of time on American’s website.
Most airlines have implemented self-service check-in, allowing us to avoid long check-in lines and have our boarding passes in advance. The long lines now are for the checking of baggage, but solutions are bound to come to automate that as well.
The advantage for passengers is the reduction in time a person must wait to go through all the increased security measures and check-in procedures necessary in this modern age. Of course, with printing your boarding pass at a machine or online and heading to the gate, especially when you are traveling internationally, it means less scrutiny is given to you, which may reduce the level of security. Of course, this assumes you believe that airport security is more than, as Bruce Schneier calls it…theater.