Tagged: united-airlines

How to Get Free Flights on United Airlines Just by Getting Vaccinated

Beyond protection from a horrific virus that has killed nearly 4 million people worldwide (incentive in and of itself, one would think), vaccination will now provide a potent perk for…

Refund Woes Fueled a Record Number of Complaints from Air Travelers in 2020

The U.S. federal government received a record number of complaints from airline passengers in 2020. In all, 102,550 complaints were filed with the Department of Transportation,…

Two U.S. Airlines Launch Digital "Passports" for Passengers' Covid Status

Frommer's has been talking for months about the advent of vaccination passports, and it looks like the first iterations in the American air industry are here, by way of United Airlines…

If My Toddler Refuses to Wear a Mask on a Flight, What Can I Do?

A few days ago, a video—of desperate parents trying to wrangle an overtired two-year-old—went viral. That's a pretty common scenario for a viral video, but in this case, the tot was…

As a Trial, Airlines Requiring Covid Testing on Select Routes

It's already against the rules at every major airline to fly while you are knowingly Covid-positive, but up to now, there was no way for carriers to prove passenger status. Germany's…

Is This The Strongest Proof Yet Flying Is Safe? See These New Military-Grade Tests

If you ran an airline in 2020, how would you prove to the public that flying in your planes is safe? It's a tricky proposition in an age of document dumps, disinformation, and fake…

Would You Travel for Beer? United Airlines Debuts Themed Flight Searches

On a recent episode of NPR's Marketplace, aviation history professor Janet Bednarek of the University of Dayton was asked to describe the current state of the airline industry. She…

Flyers Pretend to Eat to Avoid Masking Up, So United Changed the Rules

One thing that has been unmasked in recent months is just how sneaky Americans are willing to be to get around the rules for face coverings. The issue came to the fore in July when…

United Is the First U.S. Airline to Offer Covid-19 Tests to Passengers

United Airlines will be the first airline in the United States to extend Covid-19 testing to passengers. The program will start small, rolling out only on flights from San Francisco to…

United Airlines to Drop Change Fees Permanently on Many Types of Flights

Not long ago, Frommer's listed the things we don't miss about pre-pandemic travel. Paying big fees for making changes to airline tickets ranked right up there with buffets and dirty…

Schmoozing United Airlines Gate Agents for Upgrades Is a Complete Waste of Time Now

Remember when travel articles weren't all about airborne pathogens and instead were full of advice like "dress nicely if you want to be upgraded to first class" or "bring a small gift…

American Airlines Will Now Book Flights to Full Capacity

On Friday, June 26, the United States registered a new single-day record in coronavirus infections—more than 40,000, many of them in young people who exhibit no symptoms. Hours before,…

Which U.S. Airline Is the Worst About Giving Pandemic Refunds?

Government complaints filed in March by consumers against airlines jumped by 347% compared to the previous year, according to newly released data from the Department of Transportation…

Now You Can Order Airplane Food at Home for Some Reason

Stir-craziness among some grounded travelers has evidently grown so acute that they've developed a hankering for airplane snacks. Imperfect Foods, a grocery delivery service that…

United Airlines Revokes Promise to Keep Middle Seats Empty

Many news outlets reported that several airlines, United included, had announced they would keep the middle seat empty to help passengers practice social distancing.  United Airlines…

United Airlines Slashes Compensation Consumers Fought for in 2017

Two weeks ago, the airlines gratefully arranged to accept a boatload of our tax dollars. And what have those companies done last week and this week? They enacted rule changes so they…

United Airlines Flight Attendants Now Required to Wear Masks

Starting today, United Airlines requires all flight attendants to wear masks while on board aircraft. The company is the largest U.S. carrier to adopt that policy, which has…

United Airlines Will Now Automatically Hold Some Connecting Flights for Late Passengers

Thanks to new technology, United Airlines will automatically hold some flights for passengers trying to make tight connections—and those passengers don't have to do anything extra…

Hey, Airlines! Maybe We Don't Want to Watch TV on Our Phones

The airlines have stripped coach passengers of nearly every vestige of dignity—our legroom, our food, our free checked bags. But they're not done yet. Now they are taking away seatback…

Basic Economy Fares: What You Get and What You Lose, Airline by Airline

Despite what airlines say, "basic economy" fares do not mean lower fares for everyone. In fact, they have increased prices for most of us because they now label the lowest prices as…

Why Airlines Like to Annoy You with Credit Card Pitches—and Why It's About to Get Worse

The airlines are fond of reminding us that flight attendants are there primarily for our safety. Therefore, as we know, we must pay attention whenever they speak and heed every word…

Another New Fee, Courtesy of United Airlines

About five years ago, Saturday Night Live scored some laughs with a skit that parodied "priority boarding" announcements at the airport gate. A uniformed Tina Fey and Taran Killam…

United’s Updated Pet Policy: Ban Certain Breeds

United Airlines has updated its pet-carrying policy following a comprehensive internal review in the wake of a disastrous couple of weeks in March. First a French bulldog died on a…

Why Wall Street Doesn't Want You to Have Cheap Airfare

It was a blip in the headlines last week, barely noticed amid a circus of political stories: United Airlines stock plunged 6%. At the same time, Delta dropped 5.4% and Southwest went…

After the Storms: What You Need to Know If You Have Booked Travel to Impacted Regions

In just two short weeks, Mother Nature ravaged many of the Western Hemisphere’s most alluring vacation destinations. Some should rebound quickly (Disney World and Universal Studios…