united airlines

Tag Archives for united airlines.

United Cuts Denied Boarding Compensation By 75%

by Gary Leff on May 1, 2020

May 01 2020

United Airlines set the world on first when David Dao was dragged off of a United Express plane and bloodied three years ago. United’s CEO Oscar Munoz apologized… for having to re-accommodate him.

The worldwide outcry was so great that airlines had to revisit their policies for involuntary denied boardings. Now, as United does everything possible to reduce costs, it is scaling back efforts to control the sort of denied boardings that led to David Dao’s being dragged off a plane.

United Is Planning For Zero Net Passenger Revenue Into 2021

by Gary Leff on May 1, 2020

May 01 2020

During this morning’s earnings call, United Airlines President Scott Kirby told investors and journalists that the carrier is “planning for zero net passenger revenue for rest of year and into 2021.”

They hope demand recovers but they have plenty of places to go for cash and are driving down expenses. Come the fall the only place left to go for cuts will be reducing employee headcount. They even talked about taking loans out against the MileagePlus program.

United Is Still Flouting DOT Refund Rules For Cancelled Flights

by Gary Leff on April 29, 2020

Apr 29 2020

United is effectively saying that they will not provide refunds for cancelled flights, only for significant delays, because cancelled flights do not exist. They are treating DOT rules – which specifically provide for two separate reasons for a refund – as though they only provide for one.

If an airline used to fly 8 times a day between two cities, and now flies just 3 times a day, that airline has cancelled 5 flights even though the airline can still accommodate the customer. United disagrees, but that is absurd on its face.

Wow: United MileagePlus Devalues Partner Award Travel

by Gary Leff on April 29, 2020

Apr 29 2020

Yesterday United Airlines removed partner award charts from its website. The only reason a loyalty program removes award charts is so that they can raise the price of awards while trying to hide what they’re doing. I have never seen a program eliminate award charts and become more valuable.

We now know exactly why United pulled these charts yesterday without any notice to members. Seriously, they’re doing this now?

United Removes Star Alliance Award Chart From Its Website, Says Pricing Is All Dynamic

by Gary Leff on April 28, 2020

Apr 28 2020

United said that partner awards would continue to price as they always had even once award charts were removed for United flights. This wasn’t true – since they were charging extra for booking partner flights close to departure.

Nevertheless they kept a copy of the Star Alliance award chart on their website. Now they’ve removed it. And a spokesperson says this is exactly what you should have expected!

United Makes Elite Status Harder To Earn When Flying Partner Airlines

by Gary Leff on April 28, 2020

Apr 28 2020

United has made a change to elite qualification, making status harder to earn, and they’re putting the change into effect in the middle of this year. Travel on partner airlines won’t count as much towards earning MileagePlus premier levels – the amount of qualifying dollars you can earn will be capped.

How Social Distancing Really Works On Planes Now (It Doesn’t Always)

by Gary Leff on April 26, 2020

Apr 26 2020

Airlines are blocking middle seats. Delta has stopped processing upgrades in advance, handling all upgrades at the gate, to manage seat assignments in domestic first class so that passengers aren’t seated beside each other. They’re also blocking seats near flight attendant jump seats, to keep passengers away from flight attendants.

These are all social distancing steps to limit contact between people during travel, both to help stop the spread of the coronavirus and also to give customers confidence to fly. But they won’t do this if it means losing even a single ticket sale.

A Nonsense Rumor That’s Spreading About United Airlines Bankrupcty

by Gary Leff on April 23, 2020

Apr 23 2020

It would be actually be shocking if there haven’t been discussions at each U.S. airline around what a bankruptcy filing might look like. Chapter 11 bankruptcy doesn’t mean ceasing operations. It means freezing obligations and restructuring its debts. And one of the things that would be looked at in any bankruptcy is the airline’s labor contracts.

However the specifics of this rumor are utter nonsense.

United Airlines Pilot Sues The Westin Denver Airport Over Indecent Exposure Arrest

by Gary Leff on April 21, 2020

Apr 21 2020

A year and a half ago police stormed the Westin Denver airport room of a United Airlines pilot, arresting him for dancing, gyrating and waiving” naked in front of the TSA screening checkpoint below the window of his room.

Police entered with guns drawn. He was naked. He took a phone call, he said, just as he was about to get into the shower…

United Airlines To Employees: Get Ready To Be Fired On October 1

by Gary Leff on April 16, 2020

Apr 16 2020

In light of the government’s bail out of U.S. airlines, United Airlines cannot furlough any employees until October 1. United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz and President Scott Kirby want employees to know that many of them will probably be let go on October 1.