That’s one way to handle a gate lice infestation.
Over the past few years, there’s been an uptick in people bum-rushing the boarding area before their turn.
However, one enterprising Delta gate agent has devised an unorthodox way to discourage gate-crashers — by threatening to check their bags at the door, as detailed in a viral Reddit thread.
“This is the best thing I’ve heard in a while,” wrote user Reddit user FAPietroKoch. “[The] gate agent stated if he caught anyone trying to board before their zone was called he was automatically confiscating and gate checking their carry-on bags.”
They added, “Anyone with more than 1 large carryon could also be subject to confiscation.”
Reddit commenters were on board with the idea, while others floated their own methods of dissuading people from jumping the air-line.
“Kudos to that gate agent,” praised one. “What they also need to do is mark their boarding pass and make them board after zone 8. Gate lice are getting out of control.”
Another wrote, “They should also have a big beep made when their code scans so that everyone knows it is a person trying to skip.”
“They should make the line cutters stand next to the gate agent so everyone can side-eye and silently judge them as they board,” suggested a third.
“Also pull the bags that people stow up front in the overhead rather then taking them to their rear seats. I’m sick of not being able to stow my bag near my seat and having to walk several rows back,” one armchair air traveler declared.
American Airlines has notably adopted an audible measure to discourage gate lice, defined as flyers who crowd the boarding area before their assigned group is called so they can ostensibly secure overhead storage space.
The system sounds when a passenger attempts to board the plane before their group number is called — and automatically rejects the ticket.
Originally trialed at a select few airports, the gate louse prevention tech has since been rolled out in 100 flight hubs across the country.
