United denies offering free flight changes over Trump airport name

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United Airlines is pushing back on reports that it will allow passengers to change their flight destinations for free if they do not want to land at the newly renamed Donald J. Trump International Airport in Palm Beach.

A travel blog called Live and Let’s Fly shared an internal memo on Thursday that was reportedly circulated among United employees, telling reservation agents that they could offer “acceptable alternatives,” such as Fort Lauderdale or Miami, to travelers who no longer wished to fly into the former Palm Beach International Airport.

An airline spokesperson did not deny the authenticity of the message but told The Hill it was “poorly worded” and inaccurate.

“United customers are able to make changes to a ticket without a fee for many reasons,” the airline said in an emailed statement. “However, our policy doesn’t allow for changes because of an airport’s name or three letter code.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed legislation in March that authorized the renaming of the Palm Beach airport, which is located just a few miles from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.

The change was made official earlier this month, but travelers will continue to see “PBI” — the three-letter location identifier for the airport — on their flight documents until Aug. 18, when the International Air Transport Association updates the code to “DJT,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The airport is also in the process of updating its signage, branding, technology systems and other “public-facing materials” to reflect the new name, a project that the Palm Beach County Department of Airports estimates will cost roughly $5.5 million.

The airport noted on its website that the state of Florida is covering about half of that cost, while the remaining costs are funded through the Department of Airports’ operating budget and capital improvement program.

“No local property tax dollars are used to operate President Donald J. Trump International Airport,” the airport said.

The rebrand, like other efforts to add Trump’s name to federal buildings and state highways, has drawn polarized reactions. The president’s allies have praised the name change, while Democratic lawmakers argued it should not have even been considered until Trump was out of office.

“Decisions about naming major infrastructure should wait until after an honoree’s service has concluded — and should include meaningful input from the local residents and communities most directly affected,” Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), whose district includes Palm Beach, wrote in a statement in February.

The mixed feedback has prompted the airport to add a notice of the change at the bottom of its contact form, which individuals must acknowledge before they can submit responses.

“The renaming does not affect the airport’s ownership, governance, legal status, daily operations, airline service or passenger experience,” the terms read, in part. “Passengers will continue to receive the same professional, reliable service during the transition.”

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Donald J. Trump International Airport

Donald Trump

Florida

Fort Lauderdale

Live and Let's Fly

Lois Frankel

miami

Palm Beach

Palm Beach International Airport

Ron DeSantis

United Airlines

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