United to offer refunds to passengers who don’t want to fly without mask mandate – how to make a claim

TRAVELERS worried about flying without mask mandates may be able to get their money back, United has announced. United CEO Scott Kirby has said that those who have flights booked with the airline that are uncomfortable flying have the option to get a refund or flight credit. Federal Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle recently struck down […]

TRAVELERS worried about flying without mask mandates may be able to get their money back, United has announced.

United CEO Scott Kirby has said that those who have flights booked with the airline that are uncomfortable flying have the option to get a refund or flight credit.

Reuters

Federal Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle recently struck down the federal mask mandate for public transit passengers.

Kirby told the Today Show that the airline is prepared to give refunds or flight credits to customers who no longer want to fly since the end of the mask mandate.

“All of our customers should feel free to wear a mask and many of them are,” Kirby said.

“For customers like that, that are immunocompromised or that have other concerns or issues, we are working with those customers if they really don’t want to fly.” 

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United spokesperson Josh Freed told Insider that travelers who want credit or a refund don’t need a reason to make a change or cancel their flight noting most ticket types allow customers to apply their fare to travel through the end of 2023.

Basic economy tickets don’t allow changes, but can be canceled for a fee with the remaining balance kept as a flight credit.

The ticket could also be upgraded to standard economy for a fee and then be changed.

Some airline consumers shared their thoughts online regarding the end to the mask mandate.

Psychiatrist Benjamin Veness posted on Twitter that regardless of a mandate, masks help protect travelers from COVID-19 along with a photo of him wearing a mask.

“I don’t want to get sick, but also there are two elderly people opposite me; if I’m an asymptomatic carrier, I don’t want to risk infecting them,” he wrote.

Kirby said he doubts the mandate will return “anytime in the foreseeable future.”

He reminded people that flying is a safe form of travel when it comes to the coronavirus.

“The science really indicates and we have helped work on the study, and an airplane, particularly because of the airflow on an airplane, is really the safest place you can be indoors and be around other people,” Kirby said.

EPA

Reuters