American Airlines' New Boarding Process Sees Line Cutters Shamed and Sent to the Back

Mar. 15, 2025

Airport line — stock image.Photo:Getty

Getty

American Airlinesis cracking down on flyers who try to cut in line prior to their boarding time.

An “audible signal” will alert gate agents when passengers try to jump ahead of others who have paid for their position in line, according to theWashington Post.

A spokesperson for the carrier tells PEOPLE that the new system is already being tested in various airports, with plans to continue to expand.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty

Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty

The new technology has already been introduced at Albuquerque International Sunport in New Mexico and Tucson International Airport in Arizona.

The spokesperson adds that testing will soon expand to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia.

According to the American Airlines spokesperson, the company is “pleased” with the results that they have seen so far.

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Impatient people who skip other passengers ahead of their designated boarding time are sometimes referred to as “gate lice.”

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.Chris Graythen/Getty

Chris Graythen/Getty

ThePostalso spoke to other major airlines who are also dedicated to putting a stop to poor airline etiquette.

Boarding practices aren’t the only changes airports have been seeing as of late.

Dunedin Airport in New Zealand recently became a trending topic after imposing a “max hug time” rule for its drop-off zone, complete with signage as reminders to cap the farewells at “3 minutes.”

“For fonder farewells, please use the car pack,” the signs added.

“We’ve recently relocated our drop-off zone to improve safety and traffic flow at Dunedin Airport. To keep things moving smoothly, we’ve installed new signage, including the ‘Max hug time 3 minutes’ sign,” the airport’s CEO, Daniel De Bono, told PEOPLE. “It’s our way of being a little quirky and reminding people that the drop-off zone is for quick farewells.”

source: people.com