American Airlines testing new boarding technology: 'Saw about 5 people get punted out of line'
(NEXSTAR) – American Airlines doesn't want to tolerate any more line-skipping tomfoolery.
In a statement shared with Nexstar, a spokesperson for the airline confirmed that agents in select airports are testing new technology to help prevent impatient travelers from boarding the plane before their group is called.
“We are in the early phase of testing new technology used during the boarding process,” the spokesperson said. “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 did not elaborate on how the tech would aid with boarding. But a passenger flying out of Albuquerque on Monday claimed to have seen the process first-hand.
The passenger, who shared their story on Reddit, alleged that line-skippers attempting to board with Group 1 were met with an “error beep” after trying to scan their tickets.
“The gate agent proceeded to tell them[,] 'Sir/mamm [sic], you are group 5, please step aside.’”
“I saw this in action yesterday,” another commenter alleged. “It was great. I saw about 5 people get punted out of line for trying to board before their group was called.”
The new technology is currently being tested at the Albuquerque International Sunport and the Tucson International Airport. Further tests will roll out at additional airports, including Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near the nation’s capital.
American Airlines is said to be pleased with the testing so far, but it still may be too early to determine whether the new tech will help speed up the boarding process or deter gate lice. In any case, the process will likely be satisfying for rule-abiding passengers to watch, according to early reactions on Reddit.
“When people try to board early, they should be automatically moved to group 1000000000,” one user suggested.