united airlines

Tag Archives for united airlines.

Leaked Memo: What United Plans To Do To Reduce Costs As Coronavirus Dries Up Travel

by Gary Leff

united plane
Mar 04 2020

The aviation world has been rocked by coronavirus, as demand for travel shrinks. Businesses are telling employees not to fly. Discretionary trips are being cancelled. And there’s tremendous uncertainty over the future.

While U.S. airlines have been healthy and better-positioned to handle what is so far a less extreme hit to their business as carriers in China, Hong Kong, and South Korea they’re certainly scrambling to figure out what’s next. United has been proactive communicating with employees, first with a note over the weekend and now with another message outlining drastic steps they’re taking to reduce costs given reductions in revenue.

Continue Reading »

United Cracking Down On Flight Attendants In Overhead Bins

by Gary Leff

flight attendant in overhead bin
Feb 29 2020

United Airlines is cracking down on flight attendants posting photos of themselves online posing inside of overhead bins, known as the “Overhead Bin Challenge.”

It’s understandable that an airline wouldn’t want to have to take a maintenance delay if an overhead bin was damaged. And HR is certainly going to prefer to tell employees not to do it – it’s harder to sue the airline for an injury that way. On the other hand, heaven forbid a United Airlines flight attendant look like they’re having fun at their job… Last summer Southwest Airlines, for their part, backed up their flight attendant’s “brief moment of fun.”

Continue Reading »

United Airlines Gave Out $100,000 Downgrading Passengers On One Hawaii Flight This Weekend

by Gary Leff

Feb 23 2020

United flight 363 from Newark to Honolulu was supposed to be operated by a Boeing 777 on Saturday. The airline swapped the plane for a Boeing 767-300, and that meant fewer business class seats. The airline needed ten volunteers who were willing to downgrade.

These ten passengers each received $10,000 in travel voucher compensation for volunteering, or $100,000 total for the one flight, and they still got to fly in premium economy seats.

Continue Reading »

Here’s The Only Way The New Chase-United Credit Card Deal Makes Sense

by Gary Leff

united credit card
Feb 23 2020

I think I’ve figured out why Chase and Visa would agree to give United $400 million more a year – starting right away – for a credit card deal they already had in place for several years.

Much of United’s explanation why made no sense. This new deal isn’t likely to lead to a lot of “portfolio growth” (more cardmembers). They already were introducing new cards, new benefits, and have been running aggressive acquisition bonuses. However 5 words in United’s SEC filing seem to give away the plot.

Continue Reading »

United Pilot Saves The Day For Four Passengers Stranded At Chicago O’Hare

by Gary Leff

airport
Feb 21 2020

Washington Post national political correspondent Jenna Johnson tried to make a quick trip home to D.C. on United after the Nevada caucuses, a surprise for her husband who wasn’t expecting to see her until after Super Tuesday.

She didn’t make her Las Vegas – Washington Dulles flight, while roads into the airport were closed off while the President left town, but United rebooked her onto a connecting flight through Chicago. It went mechanical, jeopardizing her O’Hare connection.

Continue Reading »