When I was a kid, someone told me that curb side baggage checkins at airports were usually a scam – unaffiliated with the airline and just there to steal your luggage.
30+ years later, I don’t think I’ve ever used on of these outside baggage checkins. They seem somehow suspect, even though I’m pretty sure they’re probably legit. I’m just certain I’d never see my luggage again.
Do you use them?
I use them whenever possible. (FYI, I only check bags when traveling with the family for vacation and then only sometimes.)
I don’t use them regularly as they are less common where I live now.
However, a salesman I traveled with loved them. The agents outside tend to be the newest and therefore the youngest. They were (are?) mostly in a progression toward ramp worker, not gate/desk agent. Therefore they tended to be very physically fit. This salesman always avoided bag fees on his demo case by finding the biggest 18 year old to check in with. The kid lifted weights as a hobby and never noticed the salesman’s overweight bag.