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CHICAGO, November 11: United Airlines said on Wednesday that it would restrict access by unauthorised third-party artificial intelligence agents to its digital platforms, citing data security, in the latest move by a major company to limit what personal AI assistants can do on its systems, as reported by Reuters.
In a statement, the Chicago-based carrier said protecting customers’ data and accounts was a priority, and that sharing account credentials with personal AI assistants could expose sensitive information or lead to unintended purchases, account changes or the use of MileagePlus miles. It also said automated AI actions could conflict with US aviation and consumer rules, giving as an example the requirement that a person acknowledge at check-in that bags do not contain banned substances such as explosives.
United said it was tightening booking, ticketing and distribution policies to block unauthorised personal AI agents, both on its own website and app and indirectly through travel agencies and aggregators. Its Digital Trust Centre says a third-party tool that searches, books, buys, manages or collects information on united.com or the United app without the company’s permission is unauthorised. The Verge reported that agents may still show users United flights, but will not be able to complete the transaction on a traveller’s behalf. Bookings already made by an AI agent before November 11 would not be cancelled, the airline said, though customers were advised to review recent travel plans.
The Wall Street Journal, as cited by The Verge, reported that United had not yet seen many people try to use AI agents to book flights, a pattern also noted by other businesses. United chief executive officer Scott Kirby said at an event on Tuesday that he did not want to “create another middleman,” according to the Journal. The airline said it saw opportunities in the technology but wanted standard, secure integrations with privacy, security, authorisation and accountability protections in place first.
The change comes as consumer AI assistants from companies including OpenAI and Meta are being built to plan and complete travel bookings. United is not alone in pushing back. Corporate leaders in banking and retail have taken similar steps, the airline said, and several major banks have restricted agent access. The Verge also noted reports that eBay had appeared to block agents from browsing its site.
United updated its Digital Trust Centre to explain the restrictions and advised customers not to give third-party tools MileagePlus numbers, passwords, confirmation codes or other details they would not want stored or shared. Assistive technology for travellers with disabilities is not affected, the airline said. Travel agencies and booking platforms may not use unauthorised third-party AI agents to search for, book or manage United travel, and may use their own AI tools with United only with the company’s permission.
The airline said it would keep reviewing how such tools interact with its services as the technology develops, with a focus on protecting customers. Reuters described the move as part of a broader industry reaction to AI agents that can plan and book trips on a traveller’s behalf.
The company encouraged other firms to consider similar measures to protect customer data and strengthen safety.
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