"Blueskies" wrote in message
m...

"George Patterson" wrote in message
...

Kyle Boatright wrote:

snip
there's a recording I can listen to for conditions in the area. Most
times I don't need to talk to a briefer at all.


Well, that is probably what we will all get with the 'privatized' FSS of
the near future...

Well considering that most human briefers are just reading things off a
screen, I don't see what the difference really is. Personally I'm looking
forward to potentially getting better automated access to information. If
this were a choice between hiring lots of local experts versus cheap
call-center service, sure, I'd prefer option #1. That's not the choice.

To me this is a lot like the airlines' transition towards passenger
self-service. You go up to the ticket counter, swipe your credit card, and
print your own ticket. Because twenty check-in kiosks cost less than five
people, they can put up a dozen kiosks and suddenly the lines move much
faster. OK, it stinks when you have a problem and need to talk to somebody,
but that's not how it usually works. I take probably 20-30 trips a year and
maybe a half-dozen of those I need something the computer can't give me. But
I spend a lot less time waiting on line on every flight, saving me dozens of
hours per year. Would I like to be able to walk up to a counter right away
and get help from a knowledgeable and friendly agent? Yes, but then I
wouldn't be flying from Boston to LA for $400 roundtrip. Overall this is an
improvement.

-cwk.