While jetting off to new destinations is fun, let’s face it: Actually getting to your end point is often not a picnic. Flying remains the fastest and most efficient way to travel, of course, but very few people would describe the process as hassle-free.
In fact, there is often a long list of aggravations, from traffic on the way to expensive airport parking that’s somehow still difficult to find, to long lines at security or delays at precheck when people who don’t have clearance inevitably clog up the lines anyway.
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The good news, however, is that American Airlines may have found a new way to address this major travel issue that can ruin your trip.
While these annoyances are, well, annoying, at least they typically don’t prevent you from getting to your final destination. However, there is one huge problem that is the bane of every traveler’s existence, and that no one ever wants to find themselves dealing with.
Technology could finally solve a serious problem that’s plagued travelers for decades
So, what’s the tough problem America is tackling? Simple: Missed connections.
Everyone who has ever taken a connecting flight has experienced a fear of this happening, and many things could go wrong and cause it to occur.
Your plane on the first leg of your connection may have been delayed, for example. Or, you may not have left yourself quite enough time between connecting flights because you didn’t realize the gates were at the opposite end of a mammoth airport.
Regardless of why it happens, though, American Airlines is developing a new technology to help stop it.
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This could mean no more forced rebooking, no more sitting on uncomfortable seats and waiting hours for the next departing flight, and no more dashing through the airport like a madperson and arriving in your seat huffing, puffing, and sweating enough your seatmates will think you just ran a 5K.
How does American Airlines’ new technology work?
The new technology American Airlines is developing will detect when a consumer is about to miss their connection, and will determine if a short hold of the departing flight is possible. If so, the airline will step in and delay the departing plane so that the passenger who was about to miss the final boarding call will have time to get there.
A press release describing the new tech explained that it “helps automate and enhance existing processes to hold certain connecting flights so the airline can help even more customers make their connections and get to their final destinations.”
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It’s not yet clear exactly how long American will hold planes for in order to allow connecting passengers to make their flights without causing other passengers to be kept waiting on the tarmac. Still, it’s a positive sign that the company is working to solve this problem for customers, and automating the process will certainly help in the quest for a solution.
This move is one of several that American is making to improve the flying experience for customers. The airline has announced a pivot to premium recently, which will include bringing back a second beverage service on long-haul domestic flights, opening up a new flagship lounge in Philadelphia, and putting new business class suites into new Boeing 787-9 planes.
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These moves come as American Airlines has underperformed rivals in recent years, including both United and Delta. American appears to have realized that if it wants to compete as a premium airline, it needs to offer “premium” services. This new technology could be a step in the right direction if it succeeds in helping travelers overcome one of their biggest traveling fears.
