Anyone who's stood in line, patiently waiting for their zone to be called at an airport departure gate has likely seen a scenario when someone attempts to scoot ahead and board the plane before their group has been called.
Last month, American Airlines became the first airline to test a new technology to help crack down on passengers who attempt to cut the line. And now, ahead of the busiest travel day of the year, the Texas-based carrier is expanding its new technology.
The technology gives gate agents an audible signal when someone scans their ticket and tries to board early, prompting that passenger to step aside and wait for their correct group to be called.
American is now rolling out this system to more than 100 airports across the nation.
"We are in the early phase of testing new technology used during the boarding process, designed to make sure customers receive priority boarding with ease and helps the boarding experience by providing greater visibility," a representative for the airline told ABC News.
Experts said that in addition to enforcing the rules and efficiency when boarding the plane, airlines like to reward their highest paying and frequent flyers with early boarding as a perk, so they want to keep it exclusive.
The technology was first tested at three U.S. airports: Albuquerque International, Tucson International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
An earlier version of this story was first published Oct. 23, 2024 when the technology was first being tested.
