United Airlines is preparing for a passenger boycott of President Donald J. Trump International Airport. The airport, formerly known as Palm Beach International Airport, was officially renamed last week.
For travelers who would prefer not to land at the newly renamed Trump Airport, United is offering free flight changes. The airline will allow passengers to switch to Miami International Airport or Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Boycott of Trump Airport
Airlines do not normally allow passengers to change their destinations without paying a fee. However, United appears to have recognized the public backlash over the airport’s renaming.
In a memo obtained by Live and Let’s Fly and circulated to reservation agents, it reads: “If a customer does not want to fly to the airport, use your empowerment to offer acceptable alternatives such as Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL) or Miami International Airport (MIA).”
The internal memo also provided reservation agents with a prepared response for frustrated passengers.
“I understand that you’d rather not fly to this airport anymore. We can look at nearby airports like Fort Lauderdale or Miami instead. Is that an acceptable alternative?”
Trump’s Branding Efforts
Since Trump’s return to office, buildings, institutions, government symbols, and even passports have been renamed or redesigned to feature his name and likeness.
Rebranding the airport as President Donald J. Trump International Airport came with a $5.5 million price tag. Since the rebrand, the airport’s social media pages have been flooded with negative comments. Some have even suggested boycotting the airport.
While the airport has been rebranded, flights, security procedures, and daily operations remain the same. New exterior signs have already been installed, while additional interior signage updates and airport rebranding efforts are expected to be completed in phases.
Another major change is expected on August 18, when the airport’s code will switch from PBI to DJT for new flight bookings.
United has not announced how long it will continue offering free flight changes.
