United Airlines AI agent ban: bots can't tick the check-in box

United gives three main reasons. Automated actions could break aviation rules that require human acknowledgment. Handing account credentials to a personal, third-party AI assistant can expose sensitive information. And those tools could make unintended purchases, change account settings or spend MileagePlus miles. The airline would also simply prefer that customers use its own app.

Why are companies blocking AI agents?

United is not alone. Last month, major US banks were reported to be blocking third-party AI agents from operating inside accounts, and several UK banks reportedly followed this month. Amazon blocked Meta's Muse, which Meta markets as the "AI that gets it done", in September. United says leaders in banking and retail have taken similar steps and encourages others to do the same.

The worry is not hypothetical. Earlier this year, British mathematician Professor Hannah Fry gave an AI agent called Cassandra a bank card and a bit too much freedom. It handed over passwords and made some ill-considered purchases. Her verdict: don't let its incompetence fool you, because these things are getting better fast.

How will United block AI agents?

That is not clear yet. The airline was asked how it plans to enforce the ban and the question remains open. Options include requiring physical biometric confirmation for certain actions, or looking for signs that a browser is being driven automatically.

For travellers, the practical point is simple. If you have been planning to let an assistant handle your United bookings or check-in, expect that to stop working, and expect to do the box-ticking yourself.