When it’s time for boarding, those with priority tickets will be the first to go through the gate at the airport. But it doesn’t work well enough, American Airlines thinks. At three different airports in the US, the airline will test a new technology – which will gossip about who has gone first in the queue.
If someone tries to scan their ticket, even though it is not that person’s turn in the priority order, the alarm system is activated. The traveler is then greeted by a loud noise. Anyone who tries to get ahead of the queue will thus be singled out ahead of the other passengers.
“The new technology is designed to ensure customers receive the benefits of priority boarding,” American Airlines said in a statement to the Associated Press.
Being told off politely by staff
After the signal sounds, staff at the gate must politely tell the traveler that the ticket is not accepted and that the customer is asked to stand in the correct place in the queue, according to the airline.
The airports where the technology is being tested are Sunport in New Mexico, Tucson in Arizona and Ronald Reagan Washington in Virginia.
The technology is in the testing phase, but so far has worked well according to American Airlines.