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By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS NEW YORK (AP) — Sneaking a little ahead of line to get on that plane faster? American Airlines might stop you . In an apparent effort to reduce the headaches caused by airport line cutting, American has rolled out boarding technology that alerts gate agents with an audible sound if a passenger tries to scan a ticket ahead of their assigned group. This new software won’t accept a boarding pass before the group it’s assigned to is called, so customers who get to the gate prematurely will be asked to go back and wait their turn. As of Wednesday, the airline announced, the technology is now being used in more than 100 U.S. airports that American flies out of. The official expansion arrives after successful tests in three of these locations — Albuquerque International Sunport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Tucson International Airport. The initial response from customers and American employees “has exceeded our expectations,” Julie Rath, American’s senior vice president of airport operations, reservations and service recovery, said in a statement. She added that the airline is “thrilled” to have the technology up and running ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday . American got lots of attention when it unveiled its gate-control testing last month. Analysts say that isn’t surprising. It’s no secret that line cutting in airports hits a nerve. Whether intentional or not, just about every air traveler has witnessed it, noted Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst with Atmosphere Research Group. It can add to frustrations in what can already be a tense environment, with particular anxiety around passengers wanting to sit together or rushing for some overhead bin space. Harteveldt doesn’t see American’s recent move as “shaming” customers who cut the line. “What it is intended to do is bring order out of chaos,” he said. “And I hope it will defuse any potential flare ups of anger (from) people who simply think they’re entitled to board out of turn .... It’s just not fair.” Harteveldt added that he thinks this change will enhance the experiences of both customers and gate agents. Others say more time will tell. Seth Miller, editor and founder of air travel experience analysis site PaxEx.aero, said he can see the benefits of more orderly and universal gate-control enforcement, particularly for airlines. But he said he isn’t “100% convinced this is perfect for passengers” just yet. Families, for example, might be booked on several different reservations across more than one group, he said. Airlines typically have workarounds for that, and American noted Wednesday that customers traveling with a companion in an earlier group can simply have a gate agent “override the alert” to continue boarding. Still, Miller said, “you have to go through the extra hoops.” And a difficult customer still might choose to hold up the line and argue when they’re not allowed to board, he added. Related Articles Nation | CT prison guard charged with assault on elderly inmate over cookies Nation | Putin responds to Ukraine’s use of U.S. arms with ballistic missile strike Nation | A Mexican cartel leader arrested in the US faked his death and assumed a phony name, prosecutors say Nation | Major storm drops record rain, downs trees in Northern California after devastation further north Nation | SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who led US crackdown on cryptocurrencies, to step down Another question is whether customers who encounter a beep will walk away feeling embarrassed. But Harteveldt said he was happy to learn that American’s alert is “not a bellowing sound that can be heard throughout the terminal,” or accompanied by your name read over a loudspeaker, noting that this is important to avoid feelings of shame. Expanding this technology just a week before peak Thanksgiving travel could be “both good and bad,” Harteveldt adds. On one hand, the tech could help significantly improve the boarding process during such a busy time, he said, but airport employees might also have appreciated more time to prepare. Both Miller and Harteveldt said they wouldn’t be surprised if other carriers soon follow American’s lead. Headaches over airport line cutting are far from new. While maybe not to the extent of American’s new tech, Miller noted he’s seen gate agents from other airlines ask people to leave a line and wait for their group. Harteveldt added that he’s been to some airports in Asia and Europe with “sliding doors” that ensure passengers are in the right group before boarding a plane. The more than 100 airports that American is now using its gate-control technology in are all spoke, or non-hub, locations — including Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The airline says it expects to further expand to its hubs and other airports in the coming months.
Here's Why Donald Trump Is Asking Supreme Court to Pause TikTok BanAlthough there was a somewhat sombre tone yesterday in the country owing to the 20th anniversary of the Boxing Day Tsunami, there was one silver lining that enlivened the day – the arrival of the two millionth tourist for the year 2024. This was a significant achievement in every sense of the word, given what the country has gone through in recent times, from the Easter Sunday attacks to the Covid pandemic. This was compounded by the economic crisis of 2022, which affected the tourism industry even more than other sectors. Just a few months ago, there was another security scare in Arugam Bay, though swift action by the authorities neutralised the threat and the tourists simply kept coming in droves. Sri Lanka is once again being featured as a top destination to visit by social media influencers as well as by prestigious specialist travel publications. Tourists have especially been drawn to two highlights – the 300 Km Pekoe Trail and the Kandy-Ella train ride that passes through the stunning Hill Country landscape. Indian tourists, who lead the tourist arrivals numbers this year, have been lured by the Ramayana Trail, which was recently marketed through a sensational video clip created by SriLankan Airlines. In fact, the recent Tourism Awards 2024 show held at Cinnamon Life, the latest Five Star Hotel to grace the Colombo skyline, revealed the breadth of talent and creativity in Sri Lanka’s travel and tourism sector. Many innovative ideas for tourism promotion were featured at the ceremony. From wellness resorts to eco destinations to cultural monuments, Sri Lanka offers a complete package that invites foreign visitors to “come back for more” – which is incidentally Sri Lanka Tourism’s slogan. And judging by the arrival statistics, they have been doing exactly that – there are many tourists who come to Sri Lanka to spend a few weeks every year without fail. Sri Lanka Tourism must look beyond traditional source markets such as India, UK and Germany and cast the net wider to attract tourists from new or low density markets such as Eastern Europe, Americas, Africa and Australasia. Road shows must be held in various world capitals in addition to participating in various tourism fairs. SriLankan Airlines must necessarily be a strategic partner in this exercise as it brings the greatest number of tourists. Aviation authorities must also get more prestigious airlines such as British Airways, KLM, Air France, Japan AirLines, Korean Air, QANTAS and Swiss to offer direct flights to Colombo. This will increase the number of inbound seats to Colombo. We also need to see a corresponding increase in the number of hotel rooms as we seek to get 2.5 million to 3 million tourists next year. There should also be more hotels that are almost destinations in themselves, such as Heritance Kandalama. It is also heartening to see that the Government is taking tourist transport seriously. The first batch of vehicles imported especially for tourist transport is now with the sole agent and they should be with the travel operators soon. There was a dire need for new vehicles for tourists as Sri Lanka had not imported any new vehicles for the past five years due to Covid-era import restrictions. Tourists do not want to ride in old vehicles that are well past their prime. The permit scheme for tourist vehicles should continue even after the Government allows normal vehicle imports from February next year. The authorities should also explore the possibility of introducing multi-day public transport passes designed especially for tourists, modelled on options seen in countries such as Singapore and Japan. These could be valid both for buses and railways. There is no doubt that Sri Lanka has many historic, cultural and natural attractions but Sri Lanka must make a bigger effort to market the “experiences” it has in store for tourists, from the Pekoe Trail to wild safaris. It is also time to think of new experiences and attractions such as Hill Country cable car rides and discovery centres for science, wildlife etc. In this context, we can take a cue from Singapore which does not have any natural attractions per se but has designed a whole raft of attractions from the ground up, including the ever-popular Gardens By the Bay. Despite the intense focus on the foreign traveller, the tourism industry must not lose sight of the local travellers who sustained the industry through the darkest of times, be it the War or the Easter attacks. It is therefore unfortunate that some tourist hotels and guesthouses are said to be practising a form of “apartheid” against local travellers, barring them from enjoying certain facilities. All such hotels should be blacklisted unless they refrain from discriminating against local tourists. Moreover, there should be accommodation facilities especially targeted at the local travellers, who may not have the financial ability to pay the very high rates demanded by certain hotels. In any case, all hotels must be informed to give preferential rates to locals. Two million tourists is an impressive number, but we have to remember that some of our neighbouring countries get ten times more. We too can reach those numbers if we strive harder.
New Delhi: Reeling under election losses, the Congress party will devote 2025 for a major organisational revamp that will see more young leaders in key posts, examination of “capabilities of leaders” and fulfilment of the key tasks set at the party’s Udaipur Chintan Shivir in 2022. In his inaugural speech at the Congress Working Committee meeting at Belagavi on Thursday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that 2025 will be “the year of our organisation’s empowerment.” “We will fill all the vacant posts in the organisation. We will fully implement the Udaipur Declaration. We will equip our organisation with the necessary skills to win elections from AICC to Mandal and booth. We will have to find such people who are ideologically committed, who are ready to fight to protect the Constitution, who believe in the Congress Party’s Idea of India. Such people have to be connected to the party and brought into the mainstream,” he said. Of the seven tasks set at the Udaipur conclave, the Congress has implemented four suggestions including the expansion of the CWC to include 50% youth, women, SC, ST and OBC members. However, one person one post, restriction of tickets to families and the setting up of an election management cell remain pending. “Only hard work is not enough, time-bound solid strategy and direction is necessary. There is a need to give a chance to new power and bring up local and new leadership. We have the power of ideas, the legacy of Gandhi-Nehru and the heritage of great heroes. We will return from Belgaum with a new message and new resolution,” Kharge added. A section of the Congress feels that the party will push for more young leaders in crucial roles and put a premium on ideological commitment. “The emphasis on fulfilling the Udaipur declaration is important as many key tasks, including creating a dedicated election management cell, is pending,” said a Congress leader, asking not to be named. “There are major decisions. More than 50 leaders participated in the discussions. Kharge and Rahul Gandhi both spoke in depth. We have decided that 2025 is going to see organisation revamp programme at every level, booth to top examination of capability,” said KC Venugopal. In its resolution on Gandhi, the Congress said, “The Congress Working Committee reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the values that defined Mahatma Gandhi’s entire life, to the causes he championed relentlessly and the ideals he upheld. It recalls that Mahatma Gandhi’s life was anchored in truth, non-violence, fearlessness and simplicity.” “It was dedicated to the gaining of political freedom along with profound societal transformation. India has achieved a great deal since independence. But even as our country has progressed impressively, his relevance has only become more significant. In our continued quest for deeper social and economic justice and growth with ecological balance he continues to be a guide and a moral compass. In our continued pursuit of communal harmony and amity, without which economic advancement will have little meaning, he remains the exemplar.”
FISI stock hits 52-week high at $28.14 amid robust annual growthApple launches its big AI push but is it too late?
Manchester United slipped to 14th in the Premier League table with a 2-0 loss away against Wolves on Boxing Day. Ruben Amorim's men were beaten by a Matheus Cunha corner that floated all the way over Andre Onana's head and straight into the back of the net before Hwang Hee-chan added a second. Supporters will have felt disappointed at captain Bruno Fernandes for being shown a second yellow card shortly after the half-time interval and being given his marching orders. However, there was one other player who has received heavy criticism online after the Wolves defeat. Ruben Amorim's Manchester United succumbed to another defeat - and one player has been called out for not suiting the Portuguese's system. Rasmus Hojlund is the man that caught the attention of Red Devils supporters - for all the wrong reasons. The Denmark international struggled to get involved in the game, and was quick to show his frustration every time a teammate failed to pick him out with a pass. The 21-year-old could be seen throwing his arms up in the air on several occasions. In one situation, Hojlund was spotted jumping up in anger when Amad Diallo failed to play the ball to him on the edge of the Wolves penalty area. Watch the clip below: Man United Fans React to Hojlund's Complaints During the encounter at Molineux Stadium, United fans were quick to take to social media to criticise Hojlund's actions towards his teammates. One supporter was adamant the Dane should be looking at his own performances before worrying about others: "Although Mainoo’s passing has been off, this complaining from Hojlund when he's arguably our worst player week in week out, is becoming very annoying. You aren’t him." Others were quick to point out the 'annoying' habit, while also pointing out the £85,000-per-week man's sloppiness in possession himself. One stated: "I hate the way Hojlund moans at his teammates for a bad pass," while another added: "Cry about not getting the ball, get the ball and gift it away after about 2 seconds. Rasmus Hojlund everyone." Another baffled fan was left confused at Hojlund's insistance to receive the ball when he was giving it away cheaply whenever he did get it: "Hojlund constantly complains at others and then when he gets the ball, loses it straight away?" GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Rasmus Hojlund only had 14 touches of the ball in Manchester United's defeat against Wolves. Amorim is yet to figure out his best team and has constantly rotated between Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee since his arrival. The former is going through a tough spell and the latter is one of the most disappointing Premier League signings of the season . Not ideal options for a manager looking to inject more goals into a misfiring side. Victor Osimhen’s situation remains quiet ahead of the January transfer window. Statistics are courtesy of SofaScore . Correct as of 26-12-24.
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