American Airlines is testing new technology to reduce ‘gate lice,’ which occurs when passengers cut in line during boarding.
The new technology is being tested at three airports: the Albuquerque International Sunport in New Mexico, the Tucson International Airport in Arizona, and the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Crystal City, Virginia.
Gate agents scanning tickets will hear an audible sound to alert them when passengers attempt to board the plane ahead of their assigned group. The agent will then politely let the passenger know that their pass cannot be accepted and will ask the person to rejoin the line when their boarding group is called.
“The new technology is designed to ensure customers receive the benefits of priority boarding with ease and helps improve the boarding experience by providing greater visibility into boarding progress for our team,” American Airlines said, per the Associated Press.
Airlines want to discourage line cutting because it causes congestion and confusion at the boarding gate and slows the boarding process. In addition, American Airlines said it isn’t fair to passengers who have legitimately been granted priority boarding, per AP.
In the past, line jumpers were often motivated by the prospect of grabbing a preferred aisle or window seat. But now that all major airlines have moved to assigned seating, that is no longer an incentive. However, travel industry experts say that some “gate lice” may be eager to board the aircraft to secure the best overhead bin storage space, which can fill up quickly, as reported by Consumer Affairs.
American Airlines said it has been pleased with the trial phase’s results thus far but has not stated whether it will expand the program to other airports.
