American Airlines expands its crackdown on line cutters
By Alexandra Skores, CNN
(CNN) — American Airlines is expanding its new boarding technology that stops passengers from cutting in line during boarding to over 100 airports nationwide before Thanksgiving.
The airline has given the technology a test-run at Albuquerque International Sunport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Tucson International Airport over the last month to fine-tune the process before a wider rollout.
Passengers who board before their assigned group will trigger technology that makes a sound to alert the gate agent.
“In these instances, the American team member will invite the customer to rejoin the line when their boarding group is called,” the airline said in a release.
Use of the technology could help cut down on the crowds of people who hover near gates, creating confusion and congestion and at times blocking concourse thoroughfares. The crowds have been referred to by some frequent flyers as “gate lice” — an unflattering term that has its own Wikipedia page.
The airline has received positive feedback from both customers and workers, according to Julie Rath, senior vice president at American.
“We’ve heard from our customers that the ability to board with their assigned group is important to them because it’s a benefit associated with their AAdvantage status or fare purchase,” Rath said.
Among the 100 airports that will see the new technology is Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, the world’s busiest airport based on passenger traffic. American also plans to expand the technology further to hubs and other airports.
The airline says the technology offers other benefits as well, saying in the release that it “provides team members with more insight into the number of customers in each boarding group, which helps agents pace the boarding process.”
American says it plans to fly nearly 8.3 million people across over 77,000 flights over the Thanksgiving holiday, which runs November 21 to December 3.
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