United Airlines Finally Addresses Long Wait Times With App’s New Rebooking Feature

United Airlines is attempting to address stressed flyers’ needs with an in-app upgrade that allows customers to rebook their flights and receive vouchers in the case of flight delays or cancellations. The airline changed its rebooking protocol as lines at customer service desks and phone wait times surge in an effort to better its customer service, a much-needed improvement that even the White House has weighed in on.

The new self-service tool will take the lead and automatically provide travelers with re-booking options, meal and hotel vouchers if applicable, and bag tracking information. The meal vouchers will be available to travelers whose flight is delayed by at least three hours, and hotel vouchers will be offered to those impacted by flight cancelations or overnight delays, with the caveat that disruptions caused by weather will not result in a voucher.

“Our goal is to get our customers to their destination on time, but we know things don’t always go as planned, and that’s when a tool like this can make a real difference,” Linda Jojo, Chief Customer Officer for United, said in a press release. “Our new mobile app feature offers more transparency, saves time, and reduces stress for our customers, and it shortens lines at customer service desks so our employees can better assist passengers with complex issues or questions,” she added.

United Airlines has canceled roughly 5,400 flights this year, and 100,000 have arrived at least 15 minutes late, according to a report on FlightAware.com. In the case of a flight disruption, United reported that nearly 50% of its customers head to the app or United.com to try to rectify their travel problems on their own. It was for this reason, United said in its press release, that it started beta testing the in-app feature toward the end of last year and found that its customers were grateful for the streamlined service that removed the need to stand in long customer service lines.

“For years, United has led the industry in implementing new technologies and policies across its operation to improve the customer experience,” a United Airlines spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Gizmodo. “We’ve been automatically rebooking customers and providing meal and hotel vouchers for years,” a United spokesperson told Gizmodo. “This is simply a new way for customers to access these resources, making it easier and less stressful for them to get back on their way if their travel is disrupted.”

United officially rolled out its in-app feature as the Biden administration put pressure on all U.S. airlines to improve their customer service. The administration submitted draft legislation to Congress earlier this month to require airlines to pay travelers cash compensation for delayed flights when the airline is at fault.

Speaking about a new provision making its way through Congress, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told CNN last month: “When an airline causes a flight cancellation or delay, passengers should not foot the bill.” He added, “This rule would, for the first time in US history, propose to require airlines to compensate passengers and cover expenses such as meals, hotels, and rebooking in cases where the airline has caused a cancellation or significant delay.” Amid the mounting pressure from the DOT and Buttigieg, 10 airlines now offer guaranteed meals while nine guarantee travelers will receive hotel accommodations if their flight is delayed or canceled.