United Airlines has introduced a new mobile app feature designed to make it easier for passengers to manage travel disruptions by automatically monitoring earlier flights and alerting them when seats become available.

According to the airline, the industry-first feature allows customers affected by flight disruptions to opt to stand by for up to three earlier flights without repeatedly checking the app or visiting an airport service desk.

This was was disclosed in a statement signed by United Airlines’ Vice President of Customer Operations, Strategy and Execution, Jennifer Schwierzke on Tuesday.

The statement said travellers would no longer need to repeatedly check their phones for available seats, as they can now join the standby lists for up to three earlier flights while United monitors seat availability automatically.

It added that passengers would receive a text notification whenever a seat becomes available, allowing them to choose whether to switch to the earlier flight.

United also assured customers that their existing confirmed reservations would remain intact while they wait for an earlier flight.

Schwierzke said, “This feature reflects our commitment to making travel more seamless and less stressful for our customers.

“During disruptions, customers can keep their confirmed itinerary and stand by for three additional flights. We work behind the scenes to monitor availability and alert customers as soon as a seat becomes available.”

The new service is being introduced ahead of the busy United States Labor Day travel period, when millions of passengers are expected to travel by air.

United Airlines expects more than 3.4 million passengers to fly with the carrier between September 3 and 8, representing an increase of about 300,000 passengers compared with the same period last year.

With more than 85 per cent of United customers using the airline’s mobile app on their travel day, the carrier is increasingly turning to digital tools to help passengers manage unexpected disruptions.

United said the new feature operates in three simple steps and is part of its growing range of self-service recovery tools. These include automatic rebooking for eligible passengers, access to meal and hotel vouchers, and checked baggage tracking, reducing the need for customers to speak directly with an airline agent.