Big Three Airlines Change Policies in Wake of United Incident

As United Airlines continues to review its policies related to bumping passengers, it and its competitors already have announced a few changes. Amid the media storm surrounding the forcible removal of a passenger who refused to give up his seat to accommodate needed crew movements last week, United said in a memo last week it would no longer ask law enforcement officers to remove passengers from aircraft "unless it is a matter of safety and security." Additionally, United is requiring crews to book their seats an hour before departure rather than allowing them to book up to the time of departure. That will avoid the need to bump a passenger after boarding.

American Airlines also has updated its policies to ensure passengers are never asked to give up their seats after boarding. Delta increased compensation maximums for bumped passenger from $1,350 to nearly $10,000, according to an internal memo reported by The Associated Press.

Reported by:  BUsinesstravelnews.com