Originally Posted by
mitchmu
It was stated earlier that COdbaUA has changed the flight number every few months on this particular flight so they can reset the statistics that show it is almost always late.
Are you suggesting that this behavior is, in fact, not designed to avoid the bad statistics by fraudulently changing the flight number every few months? And, instead, are you suggesting that the constant flight number changes reported on this flight are a natural consequence of the takeover (a.k.a. "merger")?
If the latter, can you please explain to us what takeover/merger related factors might legitimately cause the company to change the flight number on this flight so frequently?
The same factors that have many FTers up in arms over other flight number changes (1776, 1, etc) that I already documented. Not to point you out personally, but you commented in at least one. Interestingly, you never noted that it was done for padding stats. Oversight, perhaps? Others did, but not as strongly - it was more of an aside.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...highlight=1492
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...er-1776-a.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...highlight=1492
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/conti...highlight=1492
Accusing UA of fraud to pad numbers reported to FAA is a serious serious allegation. I will not, absent actual evidence, support such a theory. Especially, as already noted, three seconds on Excel or any other metadata analysis will still tease it out, as WSJ already did.
We're going OT - I'd rather focus on the article and the other salient points made in this thread. I won't respond again on this particular topic.