I travel often, and I have found that HAL games the system, and dupes the passengers.
When you tell them that you have no check in baggage, they will often try to convince you that its too late to check in or board your flight, and that they can book you on the next one, trying to get additional change fees from you.
When you demand a supervisor, they type away on the computer, and lo and behold, a boarding pass is handed to you, and they tell you the gate # and to head over immediately. 
I look forward to more choice, such as SWA.