American Airlines trialed the new boarding technology it hopes will reduce incidents of cutting in lines nationwide by shifting attention to the boarding group numbers, kicking off the pilot in three major American cities. The firm first launched a pilot at New Mexico’s Albuquerque International Sunport, Tucson International Airport in Arizona, and Virginia’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The device works by warning gate agents with an audible sound if a passenger attempts to scan their ticket before their assigned group is called. This enables agents to remind passengers that their boarding group has yet to be notified. “The new technology is designed to make it easier for customers to get the benefits of priority boarding, and it will help to improve the boarding experience by giving our team more visibility into the boarding process,” American Airlines said in an emailed statement to The Associated Press.
In cases where passengers may have justifiable reasons for boarding ahead of their group, such as traveling with someone who holds a higher class status, gate agents will use discretion to override the alert. The airline was quick to mention that agents perform this subtly and inconspicuously so as to cause minimal hassle.
Although the technology is in the testing phase, American Airlines seems to be satisfied with its performance so far. This airline will require a system that streamlines the boarding process so customers’ total experience improves but equitably treats all of them. If this proves effective in the testing, then it may extend its deployment into more US airports.
