united airlines

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This Was United’s Theme – Before Rhapsody In Blue

by Gary Leff on June 19, 2022

Jun 19 2022

The United Airlines is fundamentally intertwined with George Gershwin’s 1924 Rhapsody in Blue. It’s hard to imagine that when Continental Airlines management took over they considered dropping the song which the airline has used since the 1980s. United was the first commercial brand ever to license it, for an annual fee of $300,000 at the time.

The Gershwin piece wasn’t just used on board and in commercials but also a version was recorded for the ‘trippy tunnel’ connecting United concourses at Chicago O’Hare. But United didn’t always use this song.

United Airlines Is Restoring Hot Meals In Domestic First Class

by Gary Leff on May 25, 2022

May 25 2022

Nature is healing. Food matters. Customers may not have time to eat before a flight, or buy food on connections. The point of first class isn’t just “the Big Front Seat” unless you’re flying Spirit Airlines. It’s buying a less stressful and more effortless experience. Earning a revenue premium for the product means delivering things that make travel better for passengers, and time and again customers have stated that inflight meals matter.

The United Employee Who Fought An Ex-NFL Player Has Been Fired

by Gary Leff on May 24, 2022

May 24 2022

We know know that the passenger was former NFL player Brendan Langley (who was a third round draft pick as a cornerback by the Denver Broncos in 2017). He currently plays for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League. Langley was arrested and charged with assault. He appears to have swung first, at least based on available footage.

The employee should have de-escalated, not exacerbated the incident, and shouldn’t have engaged in the brawl beyond defending himself. He was employed by United Airlines subsidiary United Ground Express and has been terminated.

Brawl: Passenger And Agent At United Ticket Counter Go At It

by Gary Leff on May 23, 2022

May 23 2022

A new viral video, with around 9 million videos, is circulating showing an agent at a United Airlines check-in counter and a passenger in a fight:

Flight Attendant Class Action Lawsuit Against United Airlines Has Been Certified

by Gary Leff on May 11, 2022

May 11 2022

United Airlines just lost a ruling before a federal judge in California, certifying a class action lawsuit by flight attendants who claim information is missing off of their pay stubs – even though the information is provided to them in a separate document.

Woman Trips In The Aisle Of United Flight, Sues The Airline

by Gary Leff on May 8, 2022

May 08 2022

What do you think, is a slip and fall necessarily the fault of an airline when another passenger’s bag protrudes into the aisle? Or – sometimes – do accidents happen, and unfortunate as it is, that’s why they’re called accidents?

United Passenger Opens Exit Door, Walks Onto Wing, After Flight Touches Down In Chicago

by Gary Leff on May 5, 2022

May 05 2022

United Airlines redeye flight 2478 from San Diego to Chicago O’Hare landed this morning – and a passenger opened an emergency exit door – and walked out onto the wing of the moving aircraft. Here’s video from inside the cabin.

United Flight Attendants Union Gaslights Delta’s Cabin Crew Pay Increase

by Gary Leff on April 30, 2022

Apr 30 2022

Delta’s decision to pay flight attendants for the time boarding aircraft sent shockwaves through the industry. Traditionally flight attendant union-bargained contracts pay flight attendants a higher wage for the flight itself, and don’t calculate time spent boarding. Thus, many flight attendants feel they ‘don’t get paid’ for that time.

I’ve heard from cabin crew at several airlines envious of their counterparts at Delta, who are seeing this new pay on top of raises that started right before the pandemic, on top of special profit sharing bonuses announced earlier this year, and on top of raises that go into effect May 1.

Singapore Airlines And United Bury The Hatchet?

by Gary Leff on April 25, 2022

Apr 25 2022

Singapore Airlines joined Star Alliance 22 years ago. You’d expect that when they look to feed passengers to and from their U.S. flights they’d work hand-in-hand with United. Except that’s not what’s happened over the years.

United Updating Polaris, Planning Doors On Business Class Seats

by Gary Leff on April 15, 2022

Apr 15 2022

There’s a lot of competitive pressure now to do more than just Polaris for United, especially as that carrier pursues a strategy that seeks to attract premium business. And the planning cycle for a new business product, from selection to production to installation across a fleet, is many years-long. So it’s not surprising that United is now planning for a new business seat with doors.