American Airlines can detect gate lice thanks to new technology. Here’s how to do it

On By Yukito

The technology is not used in Ohio, but it has successfully caught gate lice in three test markets.

play

If you travel on American Airlines and like to jump in line before boarding, don’t think twice about it.

Waiting in line to board is stinking, but in the end you get out of the line and get on the plane. Thanks to new technology, American Airlines gate agents can now catch customers trying to board a plane prematurely, according to Yahoo.

How do Americans track down and deal with “gate lice” (people who overtake when boarding a plane)? Here’s what you need to know.

How does American Airlines deal with gate lice?

When customers jump the queue before calling their assigned boarding group, an audible alarm sounds and agents at the gate tell them to wait their turn.

So far, Albuquerque, Tus., and Ronald Reagan, Washington, D.C. have been test markets for the technology.

Is an American catching gate lice in Ohio? Which airports in Ohio serve American Airlines?

For now, American Airlines’ new technology is not being tested at Ohio airports.

According to the American Airlines website, they operate their flights at airports in Ohio including:

Why is this new technology being developed?

New technology is being tested to provide American Airlines customers with benefits including priority boarding. Many customers pay to board early, so technology will ensure transparency and fairness for all customers.

American Airlines is currently in the first phase of testing this new technology.

Why do customers try to beat everyone else to board the plane?

Why do some customers find boarding so frustrating? Scott Keyes, founder of flight deals site Going.com, understands why. He said some passengers who skip lines prefer to have limited overhead bin space rather than check their bags, which can be an inconvenience.

“They don’t have access to their belongings during the flight and wait for their luggage to be returned to them at their destination,” Keyes said (via Yahoo).