American Airlines has begun testing a new boarding technology aimed at eliminating the common practice of passengers cutting in line to board flights. If successful, the innovation could mark the end of early boarders “sneaking on” ahead of their assigned group.
Most airlines, including American, use a zone-based boarding process. This system allows first- and business-class passengers to board first, leaving economy passengers to board later, which often increases the likelihood of their carry-on luggage needing to be checked due to limited overhead space. However, until now, enforcing this process relied on gate agents manually checking boarding passes—a process that can be prone to errors, especially during busy times.
American Airlines’ new technology, which has been in testing for several weeks at Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Tucson, Arizona airports, automatically takes boarding times into account when a ticket is scanned, immediately flagging passengers attempting to board before their designated time. Passengers who try to skip ahead are prompted to wait until their group is called.
“We are in the early phase of testing new technology used during the boarding process,” American Airlines said in a statement to *The Independent*. “This 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.”
Following initial success, the technology will soon be rolled out at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, with potential plans to expand to other airports across the U.S.
Despite the technology’s promise, it has sparked mixed reactions on social media. Some frequent travelers who previously took advantage of the manual check system have voiced frustration over this automated crackdown on “cheating,” while others have welcomed the move, hoping for a smoother, more orderly boarding experience.
As this new technology undergoes further testing, American Airlines aims to see whether it will indeed streamline the boarding process and reduce delays caused by line-skipping. If effective, this could become a permanent feature of the airline’s boarding procedure, reinforcing order while providing a fairer experience for all passengers.
