It’s been a difficult few months for United Airlines after several widely publicized incidents, including a passenger being forcibly removed from an overbooked flight and two travelers denied boarding while en route to their wedding.
In response, the airline has updated its policies to prevent passengers who are already onboard from being displaced to accommodate crewmembers.
“No must-ride crew member can displace a customer who has already boarded an aircraft,” reads the new policy directive circulated to United employees after the widely shared incident in which a man with a bloodied face was removed from a flight to make room for crew. The event was captured on cellphones and spread quickly online, creating a major public relations crisis for the carrier.
Under the revised rules, crewmembers may secure a seat on an overbooked flight only up to 60 minutes before departure. While crewmembers may still be assigned seats on overbooked flights, they are not permitted to take the seat of any passenger who has already boarded and been seated.
Other airlines are reacting to the industry scrutiny as well. For example, Delta Air Lines has increased the compensation offered to passengers who voluntarily give up seats on overbooked flights; Delta has historically had a higher rate of involuntary bumping than other U.S. carriers.