Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
Article content
You’ve made it to the airport. You’ve checked your bags. You’ve gone through security. Now, you’re at the gate. Your flight is about to board. Even before the announcement is made, a hoard of travellers rush to the gate.
That’s exactly what one airline is trying to avoid with a new system to ensure passengers don’t linger before their group is called. There’s even a term being used for such passengers online: gate lice.
Article content
American Airlines told the Washington Post that the system is still in an “early phase,” but the intention is to get passengers to board with the correct group. It could be a handy tool, especially ahead of the holiday season.
What does gate lice mean?
Although the term is not used in an official capacity, the Washington Post reported that airline employees have used it among themselves. Like the insects that they’re compared to, gate lice “make everyone nervous,” one travel blogger said in a TikTok post. They are people who “line up before boarding.”
Comments on social media under the TikTok post were mixed. One person pointed out that they always boarded when the first group was called by airline staff because “they don’t actually check your group.” Others pointed out they were patient and enjoyed boarding last. Some were offended by the term gate lice.
How is American Airlines getting rid of gate lice?
American Airlines plans to combat this airport issue with technology that would alert a gate agent with an “audible signal” if a passenger tried to board with the wrong group, the airline said in a statement to the Washington Post.
Article content
“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,” per the statement.
One person said they experienced the new system in person while travelling in Albuquerque. In a post on Reddit, the person said that when the first boarding announcement was made, people “flooded” to the gate.
“Several people ahead of me, when trying to scan their boarding pass, got an error beep,” the person wrote, adding that the gate agent then told them to “please step aside.” They said it “was awesome to see this enforced and looked like it was system driven (versus the) gate agent having to make that call.”
Where is the system launching?
The airline’s new boarding system was launched roughly three weeks ago at three airports in the United States, American Airlines spokesperson Rachel Warner told USA Today. Passengers flying out of Albuquerque International Sunport, Tucson International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport have been part of the trial.
“There’s so much that a team member has to do at the gate, so we’re constantly looking at ways we can use technology to make that easier for both groups,” Warner told the publication.
Moving forward, Warner said, “we’ll see where it goes from there.”
Recommended from Editorial
Share this article in your social network
