If You Travel Light, American Will Let You Board First
Categories: Industry News | News
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American Fliers Can Board Earlier If They Have Less Carry On Luggage
American Airlines has extended preferential boarding to customers flying with small or no carry-on bags.
Beginning today, the carrier says customers not needing to stow a bag in its overhead storage bins will be able to board between the Group 1 and Group 2 boarding queues. American gives boarding priority to its first-class and elite-level fliers before moving on to Groups 1 through 4.
American says it successfully tested the new process at seven airports earlier this year and has now rolled out the change systemwide in an effort to reduce boarding times.
“With on-time performance being a key factor in the airline’s dependability rating, every minute saved during boarding allows American to push back from the gate earlier, resulting in a more timely departure and arrival,” AA says in a release announced the change.
Airline officials say boarding times have increased in the last few years. The airlines have created this problem by cutting back flights, which makes planes more crowded, and also charging fees for checking baggage, which encourages passengers to haul their luggage on board.
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