United Makes It Easier for Families to Sit Together

Rhea-AI Summary

United Airlines announced a new family seating policy allowing children under 12 to sit next to an adult for free, including Basic Economy ticket holders. This improvement, launching in early March, leverages a new dynamic seat map feature that identifies adjacent seating options when booking. If adjacent seats aren't available before travel, customers can switch to a different flight without additional fees. This initiative is aimed at enhancing the travel experience for families while showcasing United's commitment to technological advancements in air travel.

Positive

• New family seating policy enhances customer experience for families traveling with children under 12.
• Dynamic seat map feature optimizes seating arrangements at the time of booking.
• Flexibility to switch flights without additional charges if adjacent seats are not available.

Negative

• None.

New dynamic seat map feature will sit children under 12-years-old next to an adult in their party for free – regardless of the type of ticket purchased

CHICAGO, Feb. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- United today announced an improved family seating policy that makes it easier than ever for children under 12-years old to sit next to an adult in their party for free - including customers who purchase Basic Economy tickets.

United's new policy is made possible through a series of investments in a new seat map feature that dynamically finds available adjacent seats at the time of booking. The online seat engine first reviews all available free Economy seats and then opens complimentary upgrades to available Preferred Seats, if needed.

Customers traveling with children under 12 will start to see more adjacent seat options immediately and the complete policy change will go into effect in early March.

In instances when adjacent seats are not available prior to travel - due to things like last minute bookings, full flights or unscheduled aircraft changes – United's new policy also lets customers switch for free to a flight to the same destination with adjacent seat availability in the same cabin. Customers also won't be charged if there is a difference in fare price between the original and new flight.

"In an era where more families are working in a hybrid environment, they're traveling more often – and they're flying United," said Linda Jojo, Chief Customer Officer for United. "We're focused on delivering a great experience for our younger passengers and their parents and know it often starts with the right seat. We look forward to rolling out more family-friendly features this year."

Many airlines try and use a more manual process to seat families together that can include blocking random seats or asking agents to facilitate seat swaps at the gate. Those circumstances often result in more stress and a longer boarding process for everyone.

Today's announcement reflects the investments United has made in its technology and tools. Since last summer, the airline has worked to improve its ability to seat families together more easily by optimizing the airline's seat engine to prioritize families who did not have seats assigned before their day of travel and prioritize adjacent seating for families during schedule changes, aircraft swaps or irregular operations.

United Polaris®, United First Class® and Economy Plus® seats remain separate products and are excluded from this family seating policy change.

About United

United's shared purpose is "Connecting People. Uniting the World." From our U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers. United is bringing back our customers' favorite destinations and adding new ones on its way to becoming the world's best airline. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".

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SOURCE United Airlines

FAQ

What is United Airlines' new family seating policy?

United Airlines has introduced a policy allowing children under 12 to sit next to an adult for free, applicable to all ticket types.

When will the new seating policy for families take effect?

The new family seating policy will go into effect in early March.

How does United's dynamic seat map feature work?

The dynamic seat map feature finds available adjacent seats at booking and offers complimentary upgrades to preferred seats if needed.

Can customers switch flights under the new policy?

Yes, if adjacent seats are unavailable, customers can switch to a different flight at no additional cost.

Which ticket types benefit from the family seating policy?

The policy applies to all ticket types, including Basic Economy.