United Airlines will launch a true premium economy product later this year called Premium Plus. An email sent out to Mileage Plus members today included the following information: Introducing United® Premium Plus International premium economy is coming. Later this...
United’s Surprising New Emphasis in Customer Service Training
I’m hearing from an inside source that United Airlines has embarked upon a major reeducation course (they call it “training”) for front-line employees, focusing on improving customer service. Trainings are routine and ordinarily not newsworthy. But in light of...
United Airlines CEO Reflects on MLK Day
Today is Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) day in the United States. United Airlines’ CEO Oscar Munoz penned a fitting tribute to the late civil rights leader. Here’s his note to employees shared by a FA friend: In 1968,...
United Airlines has a New “President” of California
United Airlines has named Janet Lamkin as President of California. Her duty will be to build the brand in the Golden State. This appointment occurred in November, but was not widely publicized. I’m writing about this because she sent out...
How Shall I Get Back to LA from Ho Chi Minh City?
My Qatar Airways 777-3ooER Qsuite flight is right around the corner. But I have nothing booked home… This is a review trip and I’m not planning on spending any time in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s a lovely city...
United Airlines Adds Eight New Domestic Routes
United Airlines is bolstering its domestic route network with eight new flights starting this summer. As part of President Scott Kirby’s plan to focus on growing the domestic route network, United will pinpoint cities such as Bismarck, Dayton, Madison,...
Final United Airlines Turboprop Flight
Tomorrow night will mark the final United Airlines (United Express) turboprop-operated flight in North America. While United Express operated by Skywest retired its fleet of Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia Turboprop almost three years ago, United Express operated by CommutAir has...
Holiday Treat at LAX United Club
The Christmas season is coming to a close for many, but here in Los Angeles Armenian Christmas does not arrive until tomorrow. Consequently, I don’t feel guilty about posting this many days after 12/25. A hot chocolate bar is...
Dear Scott Kirby, Remember the Ghost of Jeff Smisek
Dear Mr. Kirby, A very Happy New Year to you. We met and chatted for quite awhile at the opening of the new United Club in T7 at LAX in November 2016. I admire your vision to make United...
Review: United 777-300ER Economy Class Frankfurt to San Francisco
What is United Airlines’ economy class product like on its 10-across 777-300ER between Europe and the USA? Once in awhile, a bit of a reality check is nice. Although I love premium cabins and am fortunate to routinely secure...
Fascinating: Foul Play and Intrigue Onboard ANA Flight to Nowhere
Turns out there may have been a very good reason to turn an ANA flight around over four hours into its journey…a genuine stowaway onboard. > Read More: Supermodel’s Account of the 8hr ANA Flight from LAX to LAX I...
UPDATE: United Insists It Did NOT Boot Woman From First Class for Congresswoman
I had a telephone conversation with United Airlines yesterday about the events surrounding the Washington, DC woman who found herself booted from first class and a Congresswoman in her original seat. If you missed out on yesterday’s post, you...
Congresswoman Poaches First Class Seat, Accuses Victim of Racism
A teacher has accused a prominent Democratic Congresswoman of stealing her first class seat on a United flight from Houston to Washington, DC. Jean-Marie Simon was traveling back from Guatemala to Washington, DC via Houston. Upon boarding her connecting flight...
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: December 24, 2017
It’s Christmas Eve and I hope, like me, you are spending it with family friends. I’m on “vacation” in Germany for awhile, but there is never really any true vacation in the world of blogging and Award Expert. Posts...
Less Than 3K Miles from 1K Status on United, But…
After my trip to New York last week, I’m less than 3,000 miles away from 1K status…but still have not made Platinum status. I already wrote about this a couple weeks ago and received helpful feedback from several of...
New “Pop-Up” United Club in Newark Airport
With ongoing construction on a new Polaris Lounge at Newark’s Liberty International Airport, United faced a critical overcrowding issue in its only other Terminal C United Club. The solution? A new “Pop-up” United Club near Gate C-124. United’s lounge...
More United Polaris Aircraft Enter Service
While the retrofit process will take several years to fully complete, United has just rolled out its third Boeing 767-300 with new Polaris seating. I wrote about the first 767-300 retrofit here, which is a 1-1-1 configuration with direct...
Win a Free Trip to Australia from United Airlines
Is your name Sydney? United Airlines may have a free ticket to Australia with your name on it… To celebrate our new route between Houston, Texas and Sydney, Australia, we’re running a sweepstakes that calls on people with the...
$2,000 for a United Bump…
My flight from Los Angeles to Newark on Thursday night was so full I was unable to get a seat on it. That, in and of itself, is not all that unusual during the busy holiday travel season. The...
Did Anyone Lose Their SWISS First Class Reservation with United?
As I prepare my legal case against Aeroplan, I have a question to anyone who recently booked SWISS First Class award space via United: is your reservation still intact? I’m trying to draw to sufficient data points to weigh...
