Here’s What You Can Expect Flying United Airlines During COVID-19

The travel industry and how we travel looks a little different these days, but rest assured that airlines and resort destinations are here for us every step of the way. They are doing the best they can to provide a safe and healthy environment for travelers and guests.

United Airlines just rolled out their plan for enhanced safety and social distancing guidelines, and it’s certainly one they’ve put a lot of thought into. The safety of their guest and employees remain first and foremost in planning the new procedures.

One piece of exciting news is United’s new CleanPlus Program. Through their partnership with Clorox, United CleanPlus brings together a most trusted brand in surface disinfection – Clorox – and the country’s top medical experts – Cleveland Clinic – to inform and guide United’s new cleaning, safety and social distancing protocols that include touchless kiosks in select locations for baggage check-in, sneeze, guards, mandatory face coverings for crew and customers, and giving customers options when flights are more full. Specifically, Clorox products will be used at United’s hub airports and medical experts from the Cleveland Clinic will advise on new technologies, training development, and quality assurance programming.

Today we’re launching United CleanPlus, a new standard of cleanliness and safety, and partnering with @Clorox & @ClevelandClinic.

Learn more from Scott Kirby, the new CEO of United, about our efforts to keep you and your loved ones safe when you travel. https://t.co/19l6nr0gcj pic.twitter.com/ZouVhHbSsb

— United Airlines (@united) May 20, 2020

If you had any questions about the new social distancing guidelines, United has made it easy for guests to chat with an automated assistant by texting “CLEAN” to FLYUA (35982) to learn more about safety, cleanliness, face coverings and more. Below is everything you can expect when traveling with United Airlines, during these unprecedented times.

Before Travel

• United Airlines is Requiring customers to complete a “Ready-to-fly” checklist at check-in
• The airline is also encouraging customers to download the United app for contactless travel assistance and more
• United has created an automated assistant to help answer questions about safety, cleaning, face coverings, and more. Text “Clean” to FLYUA (35982) to get started
• Change fees for flights booked now through August 31have been removed
• The airline is notifying customers when we can if their flight is fairly full and giving them the option to change it
• Customers can expect an email sent to them before travel, to remind them about required face coverings, new policies and more
• They are offering customers the convenience of paying for checked bags and signing up for bag delivery online
• United is providing partner airline guidelines and destination-specific travel restrictions

Thinking about traveling again soon? Take a look at how we're making the airport experience safer for you. https://t.co/o5hjLpCsZK pic.twitter.com/cACob8DBRR

— United Airlines (@united) August 7, 2020

In the Lobby/Airport Check-In 

United Airlines has put the following new protocols in place, upon guest arrival and check-in.

• Implemented temperature checks for employees and flight attendants working at hub and line stations
• Installed sneeze guards at check-in and gate podiums
• Promoting social distancing with floor decals to help customers stand 6 feet apart
• Rolled out a touchless check-in process at select airports for customers with bags
• Requiring all customers and employees to wear a face-covering in the airport and providing disposable face coverings for customers who need them

At the Gate 

When travelers arrive at any one of United’s gates, they can expect the following;

• Disinfecting high-touch areas such as charging stations, counters, and seats
• Providing hand sanitizer stations
• Requiring all customers and employees to wear a face-covering in the airport and providing disposable face coverings for customers who need them
• Allowing customers to self-scan boarding passes
• Boarding fewer customers at a time and, after pre-boarding, boarding from the back of the plane to the front to promote social distancing
• Rolling out Clorox Total 360 Electrostatic Sprayers to disinfect in select airports and United Club℠ locations
• Bringing health and safety to the forefront of the United Club experience by promoting social distancing, enhancing our cleaning procedures and more

On Board

Once onboard, passengers can expect a new set of social distancing guidelines and safety protocols to be in place and kindly enforced by all United Airlines Team Members. They are as follows;

• Providing individual hand sanitizer wipes for customers
• Requiring all customers and employees to wear a face-covering onboard
• Providing onboard items like pillows and blankets upon request
• Disinfecting high-touch areas, like tray tables and armrests, before boarding
• Reducing contact between flight attendants and customers during snack and beverage service
• Ensuring aircraft cleaning standards meet or exceed CDC guidelines
• De-planing in groups of five rows at a time to reduce crowding
• Using electrostatic spraying to disinfect most aircraft before departure
• Using state-of-the-art, hospital-grade, high-efficiency (HEPA) filters during the entire flight to circulate air and remove 99.97% of airborne particles
• Using Ultraviolet C (UVC) lighting wands to disinfect sensitive components like switches and touchscreen displays in our pilot flight decks

Post-Landing

After the plane lands and guests disembark, United’s new guidelines and protocols continue long after the last passenger has left the plane.

• Delivering bags from the airport to the customer’s destination with Bags VIP
• Encouraging customers to track their bags on the United app
• Included airport maps in the United app to make connections easier