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United Airlines’ CEO, Scott Kirby, released a memo this evening to address the pending schedule cuts due to the ongoing government shutdown. It will begin reducing flight schedules across 40 domestic airports starting Friday, November 7th. United is following new directives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT). The move comes as part of a coordinated industry-wide effort to ease pressure on the US aviation system.
The FAA instructed all US airlines to scale back domestic operations to ensure continued safety and operational stability amid resource constraints caused by the shutdown. United emphasized that safety remains its highest priority and that it will comply fully with the FAA’s directives while maintaining a focus on minimizing disruption for travelers.
The Chicago-based carrier confirmed that its long-haul international flights and hub-to-hub operations will not be affected by the reductions. These routes are considered essential to maintain the airline’s global network and crew scheduling systems. Instead, schedule cuts will primarily target regional and domestic mainline flights. The airline said it will continue to update its schedules on a rolling basis for the duration of the government shutdown, providing several days’ advance notice to customers wherever possible.
United plans to communicate flight changes directly through its mobile app, website, and push notifications, providing rebooking options and updates in real time. All customers traveling during this period will have the option to request a full refund (even for nonrefundable or Basic Economy fares if they choose not to fly).
Despite the reductions, United and its United Express partners will continue operating approximately 4,000 daily flights, ensuring connectivity across the airline’s domestic and international network. United also noted that seasonal demand is lighter in early November, which should make it easier to rebook affected passengers on available flights.
United further expressed gratitude to its employees for maintaining professionalism and care during the disruption, noting that the airline’s collective effort will be essential in helping customers navigate schedule changes. United’s proactive communication and refund flexibility aim to maintain customer confidence as the airline adjusts to the temporary federal constraints impacting air travel nationwide.
Anthony’s Take: United is first out of the gate with a plan to address the mess that the government shutdown is causing. It’s being customer friendly and there is not much more that it can do in light of the current situation.
(Image Credits: United Airlines.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
