American Airlines Group Inc. AAL is taking aim at “gate lice” – an industry term for passengers who crowd gates before their boarding group is called – with new technology being rolled out to more than 100 U.S. airports during the holiday season.
What Happened: The system, which automatically rejects boarding passes from passengers attempting to board ahead of their assigned group, comes as a welcome relief to airline staff who have long struggled with boarding zone violations.
“We’ve heard from our customers that the ability to board with their assigned group is important,” said Julie Rath, Senior Vice President of Airport Operations, Reservations and Service Recovery at American Airlines. “The initial positive response from customers and team members has exceeded our expectations.”
The technology triggers an audible alert if passengers try to board early, allowing gate agents to redirect them to wait for their proper boarding group.
Following successful trials at airports in Albuquerque, Washington D.C., and Tucson, the expansion will include major facilities such as Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Why It Matters: Flight attendants and gate staff have long identified premature boarding attempts as a significant source of frustration, leading to the informal “gate lice” nickname for chronic offenders. The new system aims to eliminate such disruptions while preserving boarding privileges tied to “AAdvantage” status and fare class.
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The software platform also provides gate agents with real-time data on boarding group sizes and incoming flight connections, consolidating multiple applications into a single interface. For passengers traveling with companions in earlier boarding groups, agents can override the system with a single click.
American Airlines, which operates thousands of daily flights to more than 350 destinations across 60+ countries, plans to extend the technology to its hub airports in the coming months.
Price Action: American Airlines’ stock closed at $14.20 on Tuesday, down 1.80% for the day. In after-hours trading, the stock edged up 0.21%. Year-to-date, the stock has gained 5.65%, according to data from Benzinga Pro.
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