United Airlines Permanently Scraps Ticket Change Fees For Most Customers Of US Flights

United Airlines Holdings Inc. UAL CEO Scott Kirby on Sunday announced the company was permanently eliminating ticket change fees for a majority of its customers for flights within the United States.

What Happened: The Chicago-based airline's customers with "Economy," "Economy Plus," "United First," "United Business," and "United Premium Plus" will no longer be charged the $200 ticker change fees, for flights within the country, including continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands, starting January next year.

United customers, including holders of "Basic Economy" tickets and international travelers, can already change flights at no cost through the rest of this year, under a program announced earlier, according to the company.

“When we hear from customers about where we can improve — getting rid of fees is often the top request,” Kirby said in a video statement. "That's why we are taking this moment to become the first U.S. legacy airline to get rid of this fee for ever."

"United is the only U.S. airline that will let all customers fly same-day standby for free," Kirby added.

Why It Matters: The move comes at a time when the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has rattled the industry, with demand for air travel dropping signficantly.

United announced Thursday it will furlough 2,850 pilots between Oct. 1 and  Nov. 30 this year, its largest such cut in history, according to Reuters.

Rival Southwest Airlines Co. LUV also doesn't charge any ticket change fees, while Delta Air Lines, Inc. DAL and American Airlines Group Inc. AAL have waived the fees through the rest of this year.

Price Action: United shares closed about 3.1% higher at $37.34 on Friday and were mostly unchanged in the after-hours session. The airline's shares are down 57.6% year-till-date.

Photo courtesy: United Airlines Holdings Inc.