Attention US airlines passengers! If you are one of those over-enthusiastic travelers who board before the assigned group, the carrier will come and get you.
American Airlines told CBS MoneyWatch that it is a pilot technology that will alert gate agents when customers try to board planes prematurely, that is, before their assigned boarding group has been instructed to line up at the gate. Such passengers boarding passes activates an audible sound and displays a message to gate agents. They are not allowed to board and are instead instructed to wait their turn.
“We are in the early stages of testing new technology used during the boarding process,” the airline said in a statement. “The new technology is designed to ensure customers easily receive the benefits of priority boarding and helps improve the boarding experience by giving our team greater visibility into boarding progress.”
‘Some people take advantage’
The trial has been running for several weeks at Albuquerque International Sunport in New Mexico, Tucson International Airport in Arizona and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia. So far, the results have been positive, an airline spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch.
Customers pay for early boarding privileges or earn them by obtaining elite status with a particular airline. So passengers who haven’t paid for the perks and cut the queue can anger others, adding to the frustrations of flying.
“Some people are taking advantage of the situation because there is no automated process and you can theoretically board with any group,” said Scott Keyes, founder of flight deals site Going.com.
Still, Keyes understands why passengers might want to skip the line to board early.
“The most important benefit you get from early boarding is access to the overhead bin,” Keyes said, noting that later boarding passengers often have no choice but to check their bags at the gate, which can be difficult. They cannot access their belongings during the flight and wait for their luggage to be returned at their destination.
American Airlines noted that with the new system, gate agents still retain some discretion over the boarding process. For example, if members of a family or group traveling together are in different boarding groups, a gate agent may allow the customer in a later group to board with their companions.
