United Airlines bans AI agents from booking flights on behalf of travelers

Re:United Airlines bans AI agents from booking flights on be... by shepherdjerred on Wednesday November 11, 2026 @05:51PM (#50459999)

I don't see why they would _ever_ prefer an unsold seat unless:

* they are trying to artificially inflate the price

* they could send cargo that is, per pound, more lucrative than the cost of a ticket

It's not like the weight of a person is going to cost an extra $50 in jet fuel

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Re:United Airlines bans AI agents from booking flights on be... by mh- on Wednesday November 11, 2026 @07:00PM (#50460860)

There's a surprisingly high price floor on airline tickets. Like $30 (one way) in fees to the government and the departure airport. Plus the incremental fuel [0] and any complimentary consumables, etc.

Not much of a factor on more expensive fares, but for short flights where a $50-100 fare is realistic.

[0]: even with today's oil prices, the extra fuel is only $20-30 for a transcontinental US flight. negligible for short flights.

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