American Airlines Is Cracking Down on Boarding Zone Violations

Just like seat backs and tray tables, boarding zones are a ubiquitous part of traveling by air in 2024. And if you happen to be traveling with something you’d like to store above your seat, you might be tempted to see about trying to board in an earlier zone than the one you were assigned. If you try that on an American Airlines flight, however, you might just run afoul of a new policy the airline is testing out in certain airports.

That’s what Zach Griff reports in a new article for The Points Guy. If you’re trying to jump the (virtual) line under this system, scanning your boarding pass will result in an alarm sound playing and — presumably — a stern warning from the gate agent, complete with admonishing stares from your fellow passengers.

According to what the airline told The Points Guy, the new system is currently considered to be a beta test and is only in place at a few airports. (Albuquerque and Tucson were both cited.) Should the testing be a success, American said that they plan to expand it to larger airports, including Reagan National in Washington, D.C.

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The rules governing boarding a flight have been the subject of much debate over the years; they’re also frequently revised, which can lead to even frequent travelers becoming frustrated. Even longstanding boarding policies can sometimes go by the wayside, with Southwest Airlines’ recent seating policy changes being the most recent example.

“The new technology is designed to ensure customers receive the benefits of priority boarding with ease,” a spokesperson for American Airlines told The Points Guy. Are we living through a moment where more and more passengers are treating their boarding groups like an afterthought? Earlier this year, Christopher Elliott at The Seattle Times observed that “[p]assengers are finding new — and not necessarily ethical — ways of accessing their seats before everyone else.” Now, at least one airline is pushing back.