United Airlines’ employees are not happy about the replacement of performance bonuses with a lottery. One even went so far as to start a petition to reverse course…only to be silenced hours later. I’ve heard from dozens of employees over the last 24 hours and the response is unanimous: they are angry. There is not […]
United Airlines Inflames Employees With Bonus Cutbacks
United Airlines’ President Scott Kirby is on the warpath again, this time unleashing a plan that will slash bonuses for most employees. In January, I wrote about United’s new “core4” emphasis, which will focus training on the following four areas, ranked in order of importance: Safe Caring Dependable Efficient > Read More: United’s Surprising New Emphasis […]
United Airlines Gambles on Increased Capacity
United Airlines will increase capacity 4 to 6% each year, thru 2020. Is this a wise strategy or a fool’s errand that will inevitably trigger a price war? We know what the market thinks. In response to the capacity increase news, United shares tumbled more than 11% yesterday. But I take a much more optimistic look […]
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 an email to all United MileagePlus residents registered in California. Dear Matthew, As we head into […]
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, and Norfolk. > Read More: United Cuts International Routes, Will Focus on Domestic Travel Here are the […]
Live and Let’s Fly Weekend Digest: January 7, 2018
A very happy Sunday evening to you from Los Angeles. It’s been a horrible weekend in one respect. I’ll explain tomorrow. For now, I’ll just leave you with the top stories of the week and a link to each post over the last seven days on Live and Let’s Fly. TOP STORY: Why You Should […]
Flying in 2018: It Was The Worst of Times
Like Charles Dickens’ famous opening line, “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Flying in 2018 is the worst it has ever been, from poor customer service to Basic Economy, being nickel and damned to the elimination of first class cabins. There is a lot to lament about flying in […]
United CEO Comments on World Series
What side do you root for when you’re an airline CEO and both teams in the World Series are from hub cities? United CEO Oscar Munoz had to walk a fine line during the Series. He’s an LA-native but lived in Houston for many years. A friend shared with me his letter to employees concerning […]
United Chasing The Wrong Incremental Spending
As the year comes to a close, some travelers have already re-qualified for status for the year while others find themselves coming up short. In the past, American, United and Delta have offer incentives to drive business and improve margins in the fourth quarter, but this year is different. All three appear to be chasing […]
The Godfather of the Airline Industry
Freddie Laker. Richard Branson. William Franke? Although not a household name, William “Bill” Franke is the man we can thank for the ultra-low-carrier model in the USA. He also hired both Doug Parker (CEO of American) and Scott Kirby (President of United). Franke is now 80 years old but still a managing partner at Phoenix-based […]
JetBlue-United Merger?
An “influential” Wall Street analyst is asserting that a merger between JetBlue and United is more likely than you might think. I am not convinced… In paywall-protected analysis, Hunter Keay of the Wolfe Research has opined– A few investors recently asked us about further M&A in airlines, and the idea of UAL+JBLU came up. Though the […]
United Airlines Cuts Flights from Guam Hub
United Airlines is slashing flights from Guam and in the Oceania regional demand weakens. While the “Island Hopper” will now operate four times weekly instead of three, several routes will be either suspended, reduced, or downguaged. Here are the changes: A fourth weekly “Island Hopper” round-trip between Guam (GUM) and Honolulu (HNL) starting on January 21, […]
United Airlines Adds New Service to Iceland, Portugal, Scotland and Switzerland
United Airlines’ President Scott Kirby suggested his airline would re-focus on domestic service, but that has not led to any slowdown in international expansion. Quite the contrary, United is using its fuel-efficient fleet to expand to new destinations around the world. Next summer United will add new service to Reykjavik, Iceland and Porto, Portugal. Furthermore, […]
Frontier Airlines Forgets to Collect Fee, Kicks Off Child
While Kyle and his family may have had a good experience on Frontier Airlines, I’m not touching the airline with a 10-foot pole. First they throw off a senior citizen for complaining to his daughter about a long delay. Now they throw off a 12-year-old after failing to collect the unaccompanied minor fee until the […]
The Real Reason United is Launching Denver to London Service?
In the world of politics, what seems obvious is often only a clever cover for something less obvious. By all accounts, United’s decision to add transatlantic service between Denver and London was a strategic move to challenge Norwegian Air. But is the story actually that United’s new route was a bargaining chip to influence the […]
Defiant: United Will NOT Suspend Flights to Guam Despite North Korea Threat
North Korea has warned that if provoked, it will strike Guam with a nuclear missile. Despite a bellicose exchange of threats between North Korea and United States, United Airlines is conducting business as usual from its Pacific island hub. United Airlines has a hub in Guam that it inherited from Continental Airlines who operated a Micronesia subdivision […]
Overconfident? United Airlines Mocks Frontier Airlines
United Airlines’ President Scott Kirby is a smug man. I don’t even use that term in negative way. Such bravado has served him well at American and now United. But did he step over the line during a recent dressing down of Frontier Airlines? Wandering Aramean highlights an unexpected answer from Kirby during United’s Q2 earning call […]
The Southwest, No, The Spirit Effect
Southwest was not only the perennial discount airline, but their mere presence in a new city could lower flight prices across the departure board from all airlines. It seems, however, that their position has been replaced by Spirit and other carriers. Is it no longer the “Southwest Effect” but perhaps the “Spirt Effect”? If you are considering booking […]
ANA Adds Third Daily Flight Between Los Angeles and Tokyo
ANA has announced a third daily service on its Los Angeles – Tokyo route starting on October 29, 2017. Presently, ANA operates one flight per day to Tokyo Haneda and one to Tokyo Narita. The new daily service will be to Tokyo Narita. NH176 Toyko – NRT to Los Angeles – LAX 4:00pm – 08:40am […]
Premium Transcontinental Service on United: Free Hot Meals in EconomyPlus + Boston Expansion
The rumors have finally been confirmed: United will expand its premium transcontinental service to flights between Boston and San Francisco on July 01, 2017. Even better, United will spruce up business class food and offer free hot meals in EconomyPlus on all premium transcon routes. United Premium Transcontinental Service Expands to BOS-SFO We all expected this […]