United ends most U. S. change fees

United Airlines has eliminated change fees for all standard economy and premium tickets for travel within the U. S., the carrier announced Sunday.

The airline joins rival Southwest Airlines, which does not charge such fees. During the coronavirus pandemic, most other carriers have waived change fees temporarily.

Beginning Jan. 1, United will allow customers to fly standby free on flights leaving the day of their scheduled travel, regardless of the type of ticket or class of service.

The announcements come as the industry faces an unprecedented drop in air travel in the wake of the pandemic and as carriers around the world are struggling to stay afloat. U. S. carriers have reported billions of dollars’ worth of losses, and hopes for a quick recovery have been thwarted by a resurgence of the virus. Come Oct. 1, thousands of airline employees could lose their jobs when the payroll support program created as part of the federal CARES Act legislation expires.

“Change is inevitable these days — but it’s how we respond to it that matters most,” United CEO Scott Kirby said. “When we hear from customers about where we can improve, getting rid of fees is often the top request.”

Consumer groups have long pushed for airlines to do away with change fees, arguing that they can be unreasonable, sometimes costing almost half the price of the original ticket. But airlines had steadfastly resisted because such fees have become a lucrative revenue stream.