United Airlines announced what it calls an “industry-first” mobile app feature that gives customers more flexibility and options when travel plans are disrupted. Now, customers who are rebooked to a later flight after a travel disruption can stand by for up to three earlier flights. Instead of customers’ repeatedly checking the app to see if seats open up on earlier flights, United automatically monitors availability behind the scenes and sends a text notification when a seat becomes available.
More than 85% of United customers, according to the announcement, use the airline’s mobile app on the day they travel, making digital tools an increasingly important part of how customers manage disruptions and navigate their journey.
Customers can use the new feature in three steps:
- Add yourself to the standby list on up to three earlier flights.
- Sit back while United automatically monitors those flights for available seats.
- Get a text when a seat becomes available and choose whether to switch to the earlier flight — while keeping your existing confirmed reservation until you decide.
“This feature reflects our commitment to making travel more seamless and less stressful for our customers,” said Jennifer Schwierzke, vice president of customer operations, strategy & execution. During disruptions, she said, customers can keep their confirmed itinerary and stand by for three additional flights. “We work behind the scenes,” said Schwierzke, “to monitor availability and alert customers as soon as a seat becomes available.”
The feature, said the announcement, expands United’s portfolio of self-service recovery tools, which allow customers to automatically rebook flights, receive meal and hotel vouchers when eligible and track checked bags during disruptions — all without having to wait in line to speak to an agent.
