United Airlines has announced that it will restrict access to AI agents that attempt to book flights and manage reservations on behalf of users, citing cybersecurity risks and violating federal regulations.
The airline is the latest major American company to ban customers from using AI agents or autonomous assistants to access its systems. The move comes as airlines and banks struggle to distinguish between actual customers and AI systems working on their behalf, such as when users share their login information with AI assistants. Sharing passwords with apps and assistants can pose security risks if your credentials are compromised or exposed.
United Airlines warns that “sharing account credentials with personal third-party AI assistants may compromise sensitive information, and actions by these tools may result in unintended purchases, account changes, or use of MileagePlus miles.”
The company also warned of the risk of violating federal aviation regulations, such as requiring a human to complete flight check-in to ensure that baggage does not contain prohibited substances.
“As a result, United is taking steps to restrict access, both directly within our digital platforms and indirectly through travel agents and aggregators, to prohibit their use by unauthorized third-party personal AI agents and assistants,” the airline said in a statement. “This work includes updating reservations, ticketing, and distribution policies.”
The airline’s move comes after banks including Bank of America issued a warning last week asking customers not to share passwords with AI assistants.
