If you fly American Airlines, it will be much more difficult to board in an earlier group than you are assigned. Ahead of the Thanksgiving travel rush, American is expanding its new technology — which prevents out-of-turn borders — to more than 100 airports across the country.
The move comes after TPG reported last month that the Fort Worth-based carrier was trialling the new software at three airports.
With an audible beep, the program alerts gate agents when a passenger attempts to board with a group earlier than the group on their boarding pass.
American’s gate agents will also get visual alerts, TPG has learned, and will tell boarding passengers to turn around when their group is called.
If you are flying with a companion who is assigned to a higher boarding group, you will be allowed to board with them. You’ll likely hear the system beep to indicate you’ve boarded too early — but the gate agent can override that with a quick click.
Boarding groups are big business
Why this attention from the American?
“Onboarding is really important to our customers,” said Kim Cisek, American’s vice president of customer experience.
Indeed, it may sound trivial, but boarding groups are a key part of American’s value proposition for its high-end tickets, For customers with AAAAdvantage Elite status, and cobranded American credit cards.
Certain credit cards — along with elite status and premium-cabin tickets — come with high-priority boarding groups.
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“Our customers want a quiet boarding experience, they want it to be seamless, they want to be able to board with their group and not have other customers in front of them,” Cisek told TPG last month at the airline’s Texas special. was Headquarters
How often did passengers hop in line ahead of their assigned group?
“It was happening enough times that we knew this was something we wanted to pursue,” Cisek admitted.
Extension of initial trials
American has tested the technology in recent weeks at Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) in New Mexico, Tucson International Airport (TUS) in Arizona, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The airline also conducted some tests, Cisek said, at its home base, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).
In addition to preventing travelers from boarding, American reports generally less chaotic boarding processes at airports where it has tested the technology, with more order somewhat reducing the residual impact of tourist congestion in the boarding area, Cisek said. was
American has nine boarding groups. Travelers who do not have elite status but join The AAdvantage loyalty program usually boards in Group 6.
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