American Airlines' message to boarding group scammers: Wait your turn.

Attention American Airlines Passengers! If you're one of those overzealous travelers who skips the line by boarding ahead of your assigned group, the airline has you covered.

American Airlines told CBS MoneyWatch that it is piloting technology that will alert gate agents if customers attempt to board the plane early, before their assigned boarding group has been instructed to line up at the gate. Such passengers Boarding passes triggers an audible tone and displays a message to the gate agents. They are not allowed to board and must instead wait their turn.

“We are in the early stages of testing new technologies to be used during the boarding process,” the airline said in a statement. “The new technology is designed to ensure customers can easily take advantage of the benefits of priority boarding and will help improve the boarding experience by giving our team greater insight into boarding progress.”

“Some people take advantage of it.”

The trial has been underway for several weeks at Albuquerque International Sunport in New Mexico, Tucson International Airport in Arizona and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia. So far, the results have been positive, an airline spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch.

Customers pay for early boarding privileges or earn them by achieving elite status with a specific airline. Passengers who haven't paid for the perks and cut the line can annoy others and add to the frustration of flying.

“Some people are taking advantage of the situation because there is no automated process and you can theoretically get on with any group,” said Scott Keyes, founder of flight deal site Going.com.

Still, Keyes understands why passengers might want to skip the lines to board earlier.

“The most important benefit you get with early boarding is overhead access to the overhead bin,” Keyes said, noting that passengers who board later often have no choice but to check their luggage at the gate, which is inconvenient can be. They do not have access to their belongings during the flight and wait for their luggage to be returned to them at their destination.

American Airlines noted that with the new system, gate agents still retain some discretion in the boarding process. For example, if members of a family or group traveling together are in different boarding groups, a gate agent may allow the customer in a later group to board with their companions.

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