American Airlines is testing new boarding technology against passengers who rush to their seats by not following directions.
When it comes to boarding a flight, the process is usually seamless for any first class passenger. The ticket scanning lines are faster, there is more luggage space and the time spent waiting behind other passengers on the plane itself is significantly shorter. As for passengers sitting in economy class, the waiting time to board is much longer.
As a result, passengers do not always respect the designated zones, especially at major airports. Instead of waiting the allotted time, people line up and try to "sneak" into the plane before they have technical permission to do so.
American Airlines is looking to tackle unruly passengers with new technology that pinpoints a passenger's zone when they scan their ticket. The airline has tested the innovation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Tuscon, Arizona. Soon, the technology will also be tested at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia.
“We are in the early stages of testing new technology used during the onboarding process. It aims to ensure that customers get the benefits of the priority boarding service with ease and helps improve the process by providing greater visibility to our team," the company said in a statement to The Independent. .
This means that if a passenger tries to skip the rules and board early, the system will automatically flag them.
Some American Airlines customers have complained on X/Twitter about the new technology, admitting they often don't follow directions. Others expressed displeasure, claiming that these people were the "problem" of air travel.
The first passengers to board any American Airlines flight are ConciergeKey members, an elite membership status for the most frequent customers. They spend at least $50,000 a year and fly tens of thousands of kilometers. | BGNES
