American Airlines Focuses on Reducing Congestion at Boarding Gates

American Airlines is cracking down on “gate lice” – passengers who crowd boarding areas or cut in line – at over 100 airports ahead of the Thanksgiving travel rush. This slang term refers to line-cutters who disrupt the boarding process. The airline has introduced technology that audibly flags and denies boarding passes scanned outside a passenger’s designated group to combat this issue. This initiative, which has been successfully tested in select airports, is now expanding nationwide. Louisiana airports like Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and Lafayette Regional Airport may soon adopt this system.

American Airlines’ senior vice president of airport operations, Julie Rath, praised the program’s success and announced its expansion ahead of the holiday season. The system ensures smoother boarding for everyone and gives gate agents insights into the number of passengers in each group. Passengers traveling with companions in earlier groups can still board together after agent approval. It’s a reminder for Louisiana travelers to stick with their assigned group or risk being flagged and shamed by the new system.

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