United Airlines' new app feature is giving customers every opportunity to get disrupted journeys back on track with the ability to get on the standby list on multiple onward flights directly from the app.
Rather than repeatedly checking the app, travellers can let United monitor seat availability in the background and receive a text alert when a seat becomes free. Passengers keep their original confirmed booking until they decide whether to switch, United noted.
The app feature lets customers rebooked onto a later flight after a disruption to stand by for up to three earlier flights to the same destination.
"This feature reflects our commitment to making travel more seamless and less stressful for our customers," said Jennifer Schwierzke, United's vice president of customer operations, strategy and execution.
The new standby tool joins United's existing self-service recovery options, including automatic rebooking, meal and hotel vouchers for eligible disruptions, and checked bag tracking, it added.
More than 85% of United customers use its app on travel day, the airline said.
Other recent app additions include Digital ID in Apple Wallet for TSA PreCheck Touchless ID enrolment, inbound aircraft tracking on flight status pages, TSA security wait time estimates at US hub airports, and turn-by-turn connection directions powered by United's ConnectionSaver technology.
