American plans to add more time for boarding domestic flights. The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier says this move “will deliver a smoother boarding experience for customers.”
Starting on May 1, all domestic mainline flights will get an additional five minutes of boarding time. This includes flights to Canada and Alaska, but not Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, the airline said in a memo.
Flights operated by Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft will go from the current boarding time of 30 minutes to 35 minutes. Boeing 737, A321, 777, and 787-operated flights will increase from 35 to 40 minutes.
“In addition, American’s gate agents and flight attendants will have more time to complete their pre-departure work and deliver personalized service to our customers,” the carrier said in a statement. “Flight attendants and gate agents will have more time to monitor and confirm when overhead bins are full, helping to reduce the number of involuntary gate-checked bags when bin space is still available.”
Some of American’s long-haul international flights board up to 50 minutes prior to departure. Smaller regional jets can board in as little as 30 minutes.
The airline added that there will be no change to the minimum objective ground time (MOGT) for its flights, which is the amount of time needed to turn the aircraft around.
