Economy Class Passengers Now Board In The Order They Checked In

American Airlines has abandoned the convention of boarding passengers seated in the back of the economy class cabin first, opting instead to board non-premium passengers in the order in which they checked in.

While American says the move was made to "enhance the travel experience" and claims it cuts boarding times by five to 10 percent, flight attendants say the change is causing "chaos in the cabin." They say that they are receiving an increasing number of early boarding requests because of the policy change.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that the system is considered comparable to the one Southwest uses to board passengers.

The airline is also offering passengers an opportunity to pay an additional fee for the privilege of boarding early ... up to $9 per leg of a flight. American's managing director for airport operations David Vance told the paper that the groupings are made based on time of check in, and whether a passenger checked in online, at a self-serve kiosk, or with a gate agent.

FMI: www.aa.com