United Airlines sent a memo to reservations agents saying that if passengers called up complaining about being ticketed to fly to Donald J. Trump International Airport in Palm Beach, that they could be changed to fly to Miami or Fort Lauderdale at no cost.
Live and Let’s Fly leaked the memo, the story went viral, and United then went into damage control mode. The airline now says,
United customers are able to make changes to a ticket without a fee for many reasons. However, our policy doesn’t allow for changes because of an airport’s name or three letter code.
This is being described as walking back the policy, and in some cases denying the policy existed. But that’s not what’s going on here at all.
- They did not deny it.
- They did not walk it back.
United distributed an internal reference for agents to accommodate customers who called complaining about having to fly to Donald J. Trump airport and explaining that agents could just reissue their tickets to Miami or Fort Lauderdale.
This was never a published formal waiver. It was an exception policy. So when they say they don’t have a reaccommodation policy to do this that is, strictly speaking, true.
It is also awkward.
- They don’t want to insult the President. They have obsequiously worked to ingratiate themselves
🚨 HOLY CRAP! The CEO of United Airlines is now GOING OFF on Chuck Schumer and the Democrats for shuttering the government and refusing to pay air traffic controllers
It's getting worse for Chuck!
"Let's get a CLEAN CR…without putting the American workers and economy at… pic.twitter.com/qjjGKjL0SB
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 30, 2025
Here he is on Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller’s wife’s podcast.
NEW: @united CEO Scott Kirby on how long it will take their operations to resume back to full capacity:
"We'll be able to ramp up as quickly as the FAA. The FAA is gonna be the constraint.”
“I was 100% supportive of what they did and I think they did a really good job in a… pic.twitter.com/8pjlc9iKLy
— Katie Miller (@KatieMiller) November 13, 2025
- They don’t want customers booking West Palm Beach when it’s cheaper and just calling to switch to Miami or Fort Lauderdale at a more desired time to save money.
They meant well, but once this became public it was awkward.
Sorry…Great little airport (although nothing tops the daytona beach airport) . Anyway…I will NEVER EVER EVER fly into that airport. Don’t like it? Too effing bad. I vote with my wallet.
I’m starting to think United’s Kirby actually understand the ‘attention-econony’… it’s not about avoiding controversy; it’s about embracing, no, seeking, it out. Notice, Delta and American haven’t said anything about the PBI-to-DJT name-changes. United has. Threats of boycotts. No worries. United gets all this free coverage. Think about it. (Tim, call up Ed. Get on it!)
WB – The people who are responsible for the name change won’t be bothered one bit by you not flying there. In fact, they may be rather pleased.
@ Brian L.
Rong. When non-local traffic declines, businesses and employees of the airport – and microregion – absolutely suffer.
It’s stoopid that Palm Beach isn’t mentioned in the name.
It’s important for United to stay on President Donald J. Trump’s good side.
I am gonna guess that all United fares to MIA and FLL are now lower than PBI. This rule should have only applied to tickets purchased before a specific date.
Is their a Polymarkey yet on when the name is changed back to PBI? Maybe after exhile to Albania?
How about vice versa? You have already booked a flight to FLL. Can you change your flight to DJT for free?
United posted a public statement saying this is NOT true. If they want to change because of the name of the airport they must pay to change… it is NOT FREE
How about we make a deal. Drop Trump’s name from Palm Beach if Vegas drops the Harry Reid name. Both loathsome human beings.
Brian L. Sorry (and i’m sure youre loving the attention laying in your double wide) they sure will care when the flying public doesn’t use that airport. Try to boggle this in your infantile head: Trump is a guy who went bankrupt 4 times in the friggin casino industry. Takes a special kinda stupid…huh? Btw…how’s that iran war thing going???
@Lori — Oh, a public-statement? Well, bust my buttons, why didncha say so!
1. Make up non-existent controversy about new policy involving people not liking DJT 2. Republicans are outraged that people are disrespecting DJT 3. Clarify that non-existent policy was in fact, non-existent 4. Republicans claim victory. Scott Kirby calls Trump hoping to get involved in some sort of new grift
@Lori – And you believe whatever press releases Kirby dumps out into the public domain? Considering his highly tenuous grasp of reality on multiple fronts I’d give this one a big pass if I were you.
put a felon’s name on it, guarantee it will fail. better:
suggest the cult move to the airport and M-a-L area..
concentrate the stupid in a smaller area.. and the Felon might like having his Klan move their trailers around his golf course..
I don’t care about the money. I will never fly into any airport bearing that felon’s name. I will not stay at a hotel with that felon’s name or that he is connected with. I will not play golf on a course that that felon has any part of. That felon is a disgrace and I will do nothing to put money or support into his wallet.
Go to MIA or FLL. take the Brightline train to West Palm Beach.
@carletonm — Umm, the soon-to-be bankrupt Brightline? Might wanna opt for the Tri-Rail instead.
@1990 – they’re actually *barely* operationally profitable. Its just all this debt service they have to deal with. So the concept “works” – just takes a few freakin billion & federal funding to get there.
I’m just wondering how long before they get folded into Amtrak.
I got 99 problems, and the name on any airport aint one.
@haolenate — Yes, given the history and current ownership of the physical rail lines (mostly owned by freight, these days), there likely needs to be subsidies for passenger rail service in the USA for it to ‘work’ in 2026. And, case in-point, Amtrak Acela is doing better than ever. (But, that’s ‘socialism.’ So, can’t have it. Burn it all down. Get more cars. Bring back coal. /s)