Boarding a plane can be a hectic experience. Those in front have a clear path to their seats, while those at the end of the line face wait times and crowded overhead bins. Some might even skip ahead of their assigned boarding zone to get a leg up on the process. But with boarding zones assigned by cabin class, airlines aren’t keen on economy passengers skipping ahead.
To combat the issue, American Airlines is testing software to enforce boarding zones and stop line-skippers in their tracks. Here’s how it works.
How American Airlines’ boarding zone software works
American Airlines is beta-testing its boarding zone software in Tucson, Arizona, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Soon, the airline plans to introduce it at additional locations, including its hub at Ronald Reagan International Airport (DCA). So far, it’s worked well.
The software notifies a gate agent if passengers board before their assigned zone. In that case, an alert sounds when someone scans their boarding pass, and they’ll have to wait their turn. Agents can still override the alert, like when someone’s traveling with a friend in a higher zone…