Dania

hetismij2

I read about this yesterday. Not a term I'd ever heard before but an interesting system. At least being a machine flagging them it may reduce anger at the staff.
I also read reports of people who have witnessed it in action who said it works well. None of them were, of course, gate lice.

bilboburgler

Perhaps America Airlines needs to employ a person who understands humans.... just a thought.

Adelaidean

Well, I’m quite deaf and never hear those calls…always anxious trying to figure out which group was called, or which passenger they are calling, or what announcement has just been made - some signage would be helpful.

I don’t assume people are cutting in or anything, many look bewildered at the announcements.

hetismij2

Not sure I understand that. If you have paid extra for early boarding, or qualify for it for some reason why should you have to fight a bunch of people who can't be bothered to do the same but are happy to jump the queue, and then get aggressive with groundstaff when called out on it?

Flying is an awful experience at the best of times and if this makes it even a smidgen better for some people, not least the groundstaff, then maybe it is a good thing?

Happily it is not something I will have to contend with ever. I hate flying, from a personal point of view as well as an environmental one.

bilboburgler

AA are also being prosecuted for shafting the disabled.

In these environments they need to work out the correct solution for each gate and manage how they work with customers, not just treat them like sheep.

Though to be fair they are probably no worse than Ryanair and others who leave the disabled to drag themselves to the loo down the corridor.

sassy27

I've heard this term before as I can't stand when people do this. It makes me anxious and I am late missing my turn. Many times, when it's my group to board, my number isn't even called. Suddenly, they just let everyone, no more calling of groups. I don't think that's fair as a huge group rushes forward aftet I waited for the groups ahead.

kybourbon

The frequent flyers on the Flyertalk boards have called them gate lice for at least 25 years so it's not something AA just came up with.

**Well, I’m quite deaf and never hear those calls…always anxious trying to figure out which group was called, or which passenger they are calling, or what announcement has just been made - some signage would be helpful.**

The overhead screens at the gates show which group is boarding, but announcements are hard to hear in noisy airports.

The problem has been the airlines keep changing their boarding processes and allowing vague descriptions of people to board early grabbing the space in the overhead bins. "Anyone needing extra assistance/time" attracts dozens of people that don't. They started letting military board early and dozens of people that weren't military would board so they had to change it to active military with ID.

Melnq8

The people who try to carry everything they own on the plane with them make it difficult for everyone. Of course these may be the same people crashing the gate, as they know they're going to need lots of overhead bin space. I now have a new name for them 'overhead bin lice'.

I recently had significant trouble hearing announcements at a gate in Houston where our flight wasn't even on the board, as our gate had changed. It was chaos, with employees making PA announcements over each other so that no one could hear a thing. It was like trying to watch The View.

zebec

Dania, last month there was a well-known actor standing beside us as all we lice collected. I noticed that an airline rep approached him sotto voce.
I am done. the itchy

jill_h

So am I a gate lice if I board with my husband who is Group 3 and I’m Group 6? I’ve never been questioned or stopped, but I do ask the gate agent if it’s ok? Never denied.

bilboburgler

I don't feel comfortable with the whole calling humans some type of animal.... Even one as attractive as a louse.

kybourbon

**So am I a gate lice if I board with my husband who is Group 3 and I’m Group 6? I’ve never been questioned or stopped, but I do ask the gate agent if it’s ok? Never denied.**

Are you saying you and your spouse don't get seats together when you purchase tickets and you aren't on the same PNR?

kureiff

My husband and I get seats together but we can be in different boarding groups depending on status, whether one of used miles or paid in full for a flight.

I only carry on because we typically have a couple layovers and tight connections in SLC or Denver. I’d happily pay for my carry on, if it guaranteed me overhead bin space.

LucieV

Perhaps this has more to do with the gate agents than with people who don't (or can't, due to the chaos that so frequently accompanies the lineup for boarding) follow instructions.

This is one of the reasons that, whenever possible, I fly Virgin Atlantic. My experience with them over the last 10 years has been consistently good on all levels. from booking to in-flight. The staff are (ime) well-trained and they respond to problems of any kind with professionalism. And that includes gate agents.

LucieV

Though I wonder how you know who does/does not need assistance, I don't disagree that there are people who take advantage of the policy.

Including the lanky, fit 20-something skateboard-carrying young man, who, with his also young, fit female companion, somehow wrangled seats intended for people who need assistance -- thus depriving several other physically-challenged passengers of the opportunity to be accommodated. Interestingly, he had no problem hefting his skateboard onto the plane or single-handedly stowing it in an overhead bin without assistance.

(Yes, I observed this on an international flight a year ago. And yes, despite my love of skateboarders, I wanted to punch him in the nose.)

nyse

That’s funny! I think we know all lice are really ‘bin lice.’ And therein lies the problem.

Barbara

Southwest's sadly soon-to-be-gone system seems extremely organized and efficient compared to this.

Fra_Diavolo

Love the term and hate the people so described.

kybourbon

**My husband and I get seats together but we can be in different boarding groups depending on status, whether one of used miles or paid in full for a flight.**

I rarely fly AA so don't have status with them and don't know much about how theirs works. Are booking separate tickets, not on one PNR? I do have status with Delta. If I purchase tickets for me and a companion, both will have my boarding group based on my status and will be on my PNR. That person will also be eligible for upgrade with me based on my status as long as they have a Delta Skymiles number. They will get free baggage like I do too. If I put more people on my PNR, they can get my boarding order and free baggage, but I can't get upgrades. It has to be only me + 1 for upgrade elgibility.

**Including the lanky, fit 20-something skateboard-carrying young man, who, with his also young, fit female companion, somehow wrangled seats intended for people who need assistance -- thus depriving several other physically-challenged passengers of the opportunity to be accommodated. Interestingly, he had no problem hefting his skateboard onto the plane or single-handedly stowing it in an overhead bin without assistance.**'

**Though I wonder how you know who does/does not need assistance,***

You don't and Southwest is the worst for people taking advantage. There can be 10-15 people requiring wheelchairs to board, but miraculously, many of them don't need them to deplane (which typically requires waiting) and they rush right off. I think that's one reason they are switching to assigned seats.

They should tag people's carryon luggage and have sensors on the overhead bins. If you try to put in the wrong bin or more than one item, alarms go off and you have to pay or check the item.