CHICAGO, Aug. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The only thing
constant is change and at United Airlines, some of the fees
associated with changes related to flying are gone for good. The
carrier announced today that it is permanently getting rid of
change fees on all standard Economy and Premium cabin tickets for
travel within the U.S., effective immediately. And starting on
January 1, 2021, any United customer
can fly standby for free on a flight departing the day of their
travel regardless of the type of ticket or class of service, a
first among U.S. carriers, while MileagePlus Premier members can
confirm a seat on a different flight on the same day with the same
departure and arrival cities as their original ticket if a seat in
the same ticket fare class is available.
United is also extending its waiver for new tickets issued
through December 31, 2020, to permit
unlimited changes with no fee. This policy applies to all ticket
types issued after March 3, 2020 and
is valid for domestic and international travel. With these
improvements, no U.S. airline gives their customers more
flexibility when booking – and changing – their travel plans than
United Airlines.
"Change is inevitable these days – but it's how we respond to it
that matters most. When we hear from customers about where we can
improve, getting rid of this fee is often the top request," said
Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines,
in a video message to customers. "Following previous tough times,
airlines made difficult decisions to survive, sometimes at the
expense of customer service. United Airlines won't be
following that same playbook as we come out of this crisis.
Instead, we're taking a completely different approach – and looking
at new ways to serve our customers better."
The new change fee policy applies to all standard Economy and
Premium cabin tickets for travel within the U.S. 50 states,
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and customers will not be
limited in the number of times they adjust their flights.
Additionally, United is giving customers more flexibility to
change their flights on the day of their travel so they can head
home if a meeting ends earlier or enjoy a few more hours on
vacation. With the ability to list for same-day standby for free,
customers will now have an option to take a different flight with
the same origin and destination airports as their original
itinerary if space is available at departure. This enhanced option
will be available to all customers for travel within the U.S. and
to and from international destinations beginning on January 1, 2021. Customers who want to switch
flights will be able to add themselves to the standby list through
United's award-winning mobile app, on united.com or at the airport
no later than 30 minutes prior to departure for domestic flights
and one hour before departure on international flights.
The carrier is also improving the travel experience for its
MileagePlus members including waiving all redeposit fees on award
travel for flights changed or cancelled more than 30 days before
departure and allowing all MileagePlus Premier members to confirm a
different flight on the day of their travel. As a way to thank
MileagePlus Premier members for their loyalty, beginning
January 1, 2021, all Premier members
will be able to confirm a seat for free on a different flight with
the same departure and arrival cities as their original
ticket. This expanded option will allow MileagePlus Silver
members and above to confirm a new seat in the same ticket fare
class if space is available. Earlier this year, United announced
that it will extend status for MileagePlus Premier and Global
Services members through January
2022. United also reduced thresholds for Premier
qualification by 50 percent for each status level, to make reaching
an even higher status tier easier.
For more information on United's new flexible travel policies,
visit
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/change-fee.html.
United CleanPlusSM
In addition to these more flexible options, earlier this year,
United Airlines began to roll out United CleanPlus: the company's
commitment to putting health and safety at the forefront of the
entire customer experience, with the goal of delivering an
industry-leading standard of cleanliness. United partnered
with Clorox and Cleveland Clinic to help guide its United CleanPlus
policies and practices. Several of the airline's precautionary
measures to further ensure a cleaner environment include:
At Check-In
- Implementing temperature checks for employees and flight
attendants working at hubs and other airports throughout the
airline's system
- Installing sneeze guards at check-in and gate podiums
- Promoting social distancing with floor decals to help customers
stand six feet apart
- Becoming the first airline in the world to roll out touchless
check-in capabilities for customers with bags
At the Gate
- Disinfecting high-touch areas such as door handles, handrails,
elevator buttons, telephones and computers
- Providing hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes to
customers
- Rolling out Clorox Total 360 Electrostatic Sprayers in select
markets to disinfect gate areas at United's hub airports
- Enabling customers to self-scan boarding passes
- Boarding fewer customers at a time and, after pre-boarding,
boarding from the back of the plane to the front
- Introduced real-time seat assignment update text and email
notifications to further United's touchless airport experience
On Board
- Using electrostatic spraying to disinfect aircraft prior to
flight
- Running high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters on all
mainline aircraft from boarding through deplaning
- Disinfecting high-touch areas – such as tray tables and
armrests – prior to boarding
- Reducing contact between flight attendants and customers during
snack and beverage service
- Deplaning in groups of five rows at a time to reduce
crowding
- Providing onboard items including pillows and blankets upon
request
About United
United's shared purpose is "Connecting People. Uniting the
World." For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on
Twitter and Instagram or connect on Facebook. The common stock of
United's parent, United Airlines Holdings, Inc., is traded on the
Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".
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SOURCE United Airlines