Boarding your next flight with American Airlines may look and sound a little different.
American has begun testing a new boarding procedure at select airports designed to prevent passengers from boarding at the wrong time and keep them in their assigned boarding groups. Accordingly Travel + EntertainmentThe new process, currently in place at Albuquerque International Sunport Airport (ABQ) and Tuscon International Airport (TUS), uses an audible voice when scanning boarding passes to notify flyers and gate agents if they attempt to board too early. This technology will soon expand to other locations, such as Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
“We are in the early stages of testing new technology used in the boarding process,” an American Airlines spokesperson said in a statement. “The new technology is designed to enable customers to easily enjoy priority boarding benefits and helps improve the boarding experience by providing greater visibility into the boarding process for our team.”
American joins other airlines that have similarly revamped their boarding processes. Last year, United Airlines changed its procedure to speed things up by ensuring that passengers in window and middle seats board first. Earlier this year, Delta switched to traditional number-based boarding zones. And next year, Southwest's infamous open seating will be replaced by reserved seating to organize boarding.
Whether intentional or not, if you try to board an American plane before your group is called, be prepared for a shout at the gate to blow your seat.