American Airlines is currently testing a new technology to combat a phenomenon known as “gate lice,” where passengers try to board early by cutting in line. This technology is being tested at multiple airports in the United States.
The performance of the system with this new technology is being closely watched. When a passenger attempts to board early before their designated boarding group is called, the system will sound an alert after scanning their boarding pass. It will then display to the gate agents the correct boarding group the passenger should belong to. The gate agents will then request the passenger to stand aside and wait until their boarding group is called before they can board.
A spokesperson for American Airlines stated in an email to Fox Business Network that this new technology aims to ensure that customers enjoy the benefits of priority boarding seamlessly and helps to improve the boarding experience.
The company is still in the early stages of testing. The technology is being piloted at Albuquerque International Sunport, Tucson International Airport, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
So far, American Airlines has expressed satisfaction with the test results.
Jacqueline Whitmore, a former flight attendant and etiquette expert from Florida, expressed her support for American Airlines’ latest strategy. She stated in an email to Fox Business Network, “I think this new procedure is a good thing. It will help speed up the boarding process and keep people honest.”
Last week, after a reader alerted Gary Leff to American Airlines’ new system, he wrote an article on his website View From the Wing about the topic. He mentioned that the only reason passengers rush to board early is because of limited overhead bin space.
Leff pointed out that passengers crowding the gate area and boarding lines before their group is called make the boarding process more chaotic. Gate agents are often busy and may not always check the boarding group when scanning boarding passes. American Airlines is taking steps to address this issue with this new technology, which is simple yet clever.
According to The Washington Post, Delta Air Lines doesn’t use any boarding enforcement technology but has shifted their system to zone boarding by assigned number earlier this year to make the process clearer. United Airlines mentioned, “Our gate agents monitor the boarding process.”
News of American Airlines testing the new system has sparked discussions on Reddit and travel blogs. Based on information shared by users on Reddit, witnesses have seen passengers being told to “stand aside” at the gate.
One Reddit user commented, “I saw this in action yesterday. This is great. I saw about 5 people being called out of the boarding line as they tried to board early before their group was called.”