United CEO Oscar Munoz was on hand for a United Polaris Lounge media event last week in San Francisco. Unlike my last encounter, I asked him a couple questions this time.
There were about 30 members of the media present for the lounge preview. Munoz gave remarks, cut the ribbon to the new lounge, then led the procession upstairs (filming it on his own mobile phone) to the second floor of the beautiful new lounge. It was his first time upstairs as well.
Munoz spent about 30 minutes mingling upstairs. He’s always been a very friendly and approachable man.
I won’t call this a “redemption” for not bringing to him a hard-hitting interview in Los Angeles a couple months back, but at least I got to ask him a couple substantive questions.
The Conversation
First, I praised him for the beautiful new lounge. Truly, I loved it and wanted to congratulate him on it. But then I cut the fluff and asked a question.
What has been the most critical factor behind the delays in rolling out the Polaris hard product onboard and opening new Polaris Lounges?
Munoz said that Chicago was an important lesson. Mistakes were made in forecasting size and United wanted to ensure that overcrowding was not an issue in future Polaris lounges. But United has learned and will be swiftly retrofitting older aircraft (one retrofit every 10 days) and opening three more Polaris lounges this year (Newark, Houston, and Los Angeles).
Other than the admission of a learning curve, Munoz did not provide any new information.
I later learned (not from Munoz) that the Houston Polaris Lounge, opening later this year, will be a “boutique” lounge made to feel like a home. Noting the horrific overcrowding issues in some of Houston’s United Clubs, I’m not sure whether the size issue is truly resolved beyond SFO. It does sound like a great lounge, though.
My second question centered on bonuses, both for himself and employees.
Was turning down your bonus a gesture to employees in light of the lottery controversy?
Munoz responded, “I turned down the bonus because it was the right thing to do.”
Sensing that I might be cornering him, one of his minders cut in and Munoz politely excused himself.
CONCLUSION
I’ve never had as much “face time” with a CEO than I have with Munoz. I hope to one day hold a sit down interview. But at least I got a couple questions in this time.
I’ll give you props for trying. A shame that it’s so tough to get real answers to uncomfortable questions.
Thanks for trying.
But you did learn the lesson that “journalists” learn – you may never get a second chance to ask questions of an important interviewee.
Time will tell. I wasn’t trying to put him on the spot or ask difficult questions. Just wanted clarification.
Lounge or no lounge – I’m still not flying on UA. I remember how poorly they treated me as a 1K in 2012 – 14. As Oscar says “Actions speak louder than words.”
Touche’
I was a 1k for approx 12 years and finally came to the realization to give up on them last year. They just keeping digging themselves into a deeper hole imho.
It’s a nice enough looking lounge but has not stirred up any desire for me to fly UA.
You should have asked what’s the going rate for high quality beach sand.
You asked two great questions and he gave two so-so answers. I wouldn’t expect Oscar to reveal intimate details in either of his responses but at least you got something on the record. Please do continue to ask these sort of questions anytime you encounter him or other UA executives.
As for the “boutique” IAH Polaris lounge, that just sounds like they’re setting up excuses for a small lounge size. I’d rather have an ‘expansive’ IAH Polaris lounge that was made to feel like a home rather than a “boutique”. I guess we’ll see later this summer.
His minders need to get a life.
What about the embarrassment that is UA at IAD?
I second that.
I told you last time that your post wasn’t good enough for my liking, and you’d have to make it up to me and my fellow readers. You wrote back with an apology.
Well, Matthew, apology accepted with interest. Well done! You have successfully made it up to me.
I’d say well done even if you don’t get another chance to talk to him. The fact that you asked those questions of him is the Matthew that I am used to and the reason why I keep coming for your blog.
I always believe it to be appropriate to push limits as far as you can with top executives, knowing that they’ll pull me in line if needed. That’s his decision not yours, no question to Oscar is a bad one, no matter how inappropriate.
When I see him for the first time, I’m going to ask him why victims are blamed with United, and what Oscar’s plans are to fix the crappy image United has, without sugar coating.
You should have asked him if he was aware of the ridiculous amount of cutbacks made onboard to the Polaris product.
Wow, I’m surprised you grilled him with those tough questions so soon after his health issues. What was your tone?