There are two types of travellers at the airport: those who wait for their assigned group to be called and those who do not, and American Airlines is trying something new with the latter, to help with “herd mentality.”

You’ve most likely seen people rush the boarding area, swarming the entrance to the walkway, even if their number hasn’t been called and are unintentionally blocking others from getting through. 

It happens so often it’s been nicknamed “gate lice,” and American Airlines is “trying to restore order to the boarding process” by setting up an alarm system, reports NBC Bay Area. 

Luckily, the alarm doesn’t go off when the person stands up per se, but instead, a signal is sent to the gate agent, who then can check in with the passenger and ask them to take a step back and allow for some space.

The nickname alone may be enough to dissuade people from standing up too soon, for example a sign that reads: “Please don’t be a gate lice.” 

An American Airlines spokesperson said of the plan in a statement: “We are always looking at ways to make the boarding experience easier for our customers and for our team members, too.” 

The platform is being tested at the following airports:

• Albuquerque International Sunport
• Tucson International Airport
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

“It went really well in Tucson and in Albuquerque,” Warner said. “We recently rolled out to DCA, and we’ll see where it goes from there,” said the spokesman. 

The spokesperson said the plan was implemented a few weeks ago, but would not provide an exact date.

“We’ve been pleased with the results of the test so far,” said the spokesperson.