Anyone who has flown on a major airline in recent years knows the scourge of so-called “gate lice,” even if they have never been able to put a name to these particular violations of airline etiquette.

Simply put, “gate lice” is a derogatory term that refers to passengers who prematurely gather around a gate long before their seats are called and attempt to board the flight early by ignoring the rules of the boarding process.

And while the average passenger might find flight lice more of a nuisance than a real problem, airlines have warned that this disregard for the social contract has real consequences: namely, delays for travelers with disabilities, families and those with priority boarding.

Now at least one airline is cracking down on these pesky pests with a pilot program aimed at discouraging people trying to skip the line through subtle public shaming.

American Airlines said it would tighten rules on the boarding process and introduce a scanning system that will sound an audible alert if someone tries to board before the designated zone.

When the alarm sounds, the gate agent will ask the passenger to step aside and wait for their area to be called. But more importantly, other passengers waiting to board also witness the gentle yet embarrassing public flogging.

“We are always looking for ways to make the boarding experience easier for our customers, as well as our team members,” Rachel Warner, an American Airlines spokeswoman, told USA Today, adding that the system is currently being tested at the Albuquerque International Sunport becomes. Tucson International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

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“Things were going really well in Tucson and Albuquerque,” ​​Warner said.

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Earlier this month, in a Reddit thread dedicated to discussing American Airlines, a customer gave a firsthand account of seeing the system in action.

“This happened to me this week in CLT. I'm part of group 3 and when they called 3 I put myself on the line and was rudely shown the door,” another person shared in the same thread. “He came to the agent and she loudly said to him, 'Sir, you are group 7, step aside and you also need to check your luggage, the flight is full.' I couldn't help but giggle at him as he did turned around obviously embarrassed and angry lol.”

Gary Leff, a writer for the airline industry website View from the Wing, told NPR that gate lice have been viewed as a nuisance for years, ever since airlines began charging passengers to check a suitcase.

He believes gate hoppers are just as interested in maintaining control of their flight experience as they are in having a place to stow their carry-on luggage.

“They have done everything to ensure their trip goes smoothly, from getting to the airport to going through security and boarding the plane, they have everything under control.”

Scott Keyes, the founder of travel app Going.com, told the New York Times that the number of gate lice has only increased in recent years.

“Nowadays you have to make a lot more compromises than before because early boarding now offers an advantage that didn't exist before,” he said, agreeing that the incentive to use carry-on luggage has led to more friction and chaos during boarding -Process.

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