American Airlines is stepping up its game to make boarding a smoother experience for everyone by expanding its new anti-line-cutting technology to over 100 airports across the U.S. This expansion is set to be completed just in time for the busy Thanksgiving travel season.
The airline has been testing the system over the past month at airports like Albuquerque International Sunport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and Tucson International Airport. The goal? To ensure the technology is fine-tuned and ready for a broader rollout.
Here’s how it works: If a passenger tries to board before their assigned group, the system sends out an alert to the gate agent. The agent will then kindly ask the passenger to wait until their group is called.
According to American, this upgrade could help reduce those pesky crowds that tend to gather near gates, creating confusion and blocking walkways. Frequent flyers often refer to these chaotic clusters as “gate lice” (yes, it even has its own Wikipedia page).
Julie Rath, American’s Senior Vice President, shared that the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. “Customers have told us that boarding with their assigned group is really important to them. It’s part of the benefits they get with their AAdvantage status or fare purchase,” Rath explained.
One of the 100 airports where this technology will be rolled out is Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the world’s busiest airport. American plans to keep expanding the system to more hubs and airports in the future.
Beyond stopping line-cutters, the technology also gives gate agents real-time insights into the size of each boarding group, helping to keep the process moving efficiently.
With nearly 8.3 million passengers expected to fly with American Airlines across 77,000 flights during the Thanksgiving travel rush (November 21 to December 3), this new system could be just what travelers need to make their journey a little less stressful.
