Michigan Airports Could Soon Stop Line Skipping During Boarding
There’s nothing more frustrating than waiting at Detroit Metro Airport—or any airport, for that matter—for boarding to begin, only to have everyone stand up and get in line before their group is called. I’ll never understand why some people are in such a hurry to get to their seats—they're just going to end up sitting and waiting like they were already doing at the gate.
In some cases, when someone boards before it's their turn, the boarding agent will tell them to wait. However, that doesn't happen very often, as the agent is usually just checking to make sure the passenger has a valid ticket.
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We understand that some people are just excited to get on the plane and reach their destination, but nobody likes a line cutter. At this point, it's obvious that the honor system doesn't work in this particular situation.
Well, we have some good news. One airline is trying to put a stop to all the line-cutting at airports. According to Simple Flying, American Airlines is testing new technology aimed at ensuring passengers board their flights according to their assigned groups.
At select airports, they are testing technology that aims to make the boarding process smoother by detecting when travelers attempt to board out of turn. Essentially, the boarding agent would hear an error beep if someone tries to board when it's not their turn yet.
What I find crazy is that only one airline is trying to implement this. An error beep isn’t new technology—I think this could have been put in place years ago.
This new trial boarding experience has not made its way to Michigan yet, but if all goes according to plan, it's only a matter of time. Not only will American Airlines likely expand it to more locations, but other airlines could also follow suit, making boarding smoother and more fair for everyone.
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