Airport self-service kiosks (2000s)
Airlines installed self-service check-in kiosks across major U.S. airports, reducing the need for front-line check-in agents. The technology displaced thousands of positions, but airlines created new roles for kiosk maintenance and passenger assistance in other areas.
Layoffs hit check-in staff, with unions pushing for retraining programs.
The industry absorbed workers into other roles, and kiosks became a standard feature of airport operations.
SkyLink will similarly reduce shuttle driver and ambassador roles, prompting a shift to new airport functions like train station staff and security.
