The next time you board an American Airlines flight, you might notice a familiar piece of equipment missing from the gate area.
The Dallas-based carrier has announced it is removing all carry-on bag-sizers from its boarding gates across the country, effective October 6, according to local news outlet KTLA.
Passengers insert their carry-ons into the ubiquitous metal frames to measure whether their luggage will fit in the overhead bin. But the tools are apparently causing lags in the boarding process.
The airline says it’s removing the bag-sizers in an effort to make boarding even faster. However, the bag-sizers will still be available in other areas of the airport, like at the ticketing and check-in desks.
It’s also important to note that just because the bag measuring devices will be out of sight at the gate, that doesn’t mean passengers are allowed to bring bigger luggage aboard their flight. American gate agents and other staff will still be looking for oversized carry-ons that need to be gate-checked and stowed in the plane’s cargo hold, the airline says.
Most airline passengers today see the plane’s overhead bin space as a battleground—and will go to untold lengths to ensure a spot for their carry-on and to avoid checking their luggage, especially as bag fees have climbed significantly in recent years. The frenzy for bin space shows no signs of abating, even as plane manufacturers are creating larger overhead storage on newer planes.
The nixing of the bag-sizers comes as American has been launching new policies to streamline boarding throughout the year. In May, the airline revamped boarding protocols, including increased pre-boarding time for families with young children, new technology to help guide enplaning travelers, and adding an extra five minutes to the overall boarding process.
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