Science and technology consistently outperform human judgment for one primary reason: standardization, the backbone of precision and consistency. Yet American Airlines’ recent decision to follow United Airlines in removing metal bag-sizer frames from gate areas , and relying instead on gate agents’ subjective assessments, introduces exactly what standardization is designed to eliminate: human error .

Gate agents are now tasked with making on-the-spot calls about the size without a physical benchmark, exposing them to passenger pushback and inconsistent enforcement. Cabin crew members report the downstream consequences, with gate areas full of 'gate lice': frustrated travelers arriving on board with bags that don’t fit, slowing the boarding process.

The airline’s stated goal was to st

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