American Airlines is 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 the Washington 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. 

“We are in the early phase of testing new technology used during the boarding process. The new technology is designed to ensure customers receive the benefits of priority boarding with ease and helps improve the boarding experience by providing greater visibility into boarding progress for our team,” an American Airlines rep tells PEOPLE. 

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

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. 

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

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


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

“Our gate agents monitor the boarding process,” United Airlines said. And while Delta Air Lines also doesn’t use any special technology, their passengers began boarding by numbered zones “to bring more clarity” to the process earlier this year.

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.” 

He added that “the first 15 minutes are free” in the car park if individuals needed more time to say their good-byes.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *