New System for "Gate Lice"
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American Airlines is testing a system to discourage people from crowding the gate before it’s their turn to board. Students can discuss the ethics and whether the company will achieve its objectives.
Apparently, “gate lice” is an industry term or, at least, used by American Airlines employees to describe people who jump the line. This group always baffled me: Why spend more time than you have to on the plane? According to a Washington Post article, “Experts in human behavior say travelers who mass at the gate ahead of their turn do so out of a tendency to conform —and out of a sense of competition.” More specifically, some might want to make sure they can stow (rather than check) their carryon and have it nearby if space is limited.
The new system flags these folks with an “audible signal.” One benefit is removing the responsibility of a busy gate agent, who might miss the group number or feel uncomfortable asking a passenger to step aside. However, the sound—and referring to someone as lice—seems shaming.
Feedback from rule-following passengers so far is positive. But students might consider the long-term effects of the system. After all, this is another attempt to control the unruly passenger, which is a real issue. But could this disciplinary approach change behavior in the short term, while creating a more negative flying experience in the long run? Removing accountability from both the gate agent and the passenger inspires more policies and rules to guide good behavior. In the end, could this also remove common sense and good communication?
