United Airlines to offer passengers up to RM43,500 to give up seats
NEW YORK: United Airlines said yesterday it would offer passengers who volunteer to forfeit their seats on overbooked flights up to US$10,000 (RM43,500) as part of the carrier’s efforts to repair the damage from the rough removal of a passenger.
The offer came after rival Delta outlined plans to offer up to US$9,950 in such cases.
United also said it would reduce overbooking flights and improve customer satisfaction.
“Our goal is to reduce incidents of involuntary denial of boarding to as close to zero as possible and become a more customer-focused airline,” the carrier said in the statement.
United had spent the last two weeks embroiled in controversy after videos recorded by fellow passengers, which went viral, showed David Dao, 69, yanked from his seat aboard a Louisville, Kentucky-bound United flight before takeoff from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport to make room for crew members.
Dao lost two front teeth in the scuffle, incurred a concussion and broke his nose, according to his lawyer, and will likely sue the airline.
United typically oversells flights by less than zero to three per cent of the plane’s seat capacity to account for no-shows.
United said it would no longer call law enforcement to deny passengers boarding, nor would passengers who were already seated be required to give up their seats on overbooked flights.
United will adopt a “no questions asked” policy on permanently lost baggage, paying customers US$1,500 for the value of the bag and its contents, beginning in June.
“This is a turning point for all of us at United,” chief executive Oscar Munoz said. Reuters