I think the larger question that needs to be asked after this weekend:
Is UA's current procedures for aircraft and crew distribution on their route system flawed?
I think a comparison between AA and UA at ORD is a legitimate one, and it certainly seems as though AA flew more flights over the weekend than UA did. So why is it that there was a disparity? Is there something inherent in the way that UA allots planes and crew such that if one hub (or more) falls due to weather, it cripples the rest of the system much more than other airlines? I'd love to hear from someone (maybe from UA) with more knowledge of this than myself.
Winter and summer storms are certainly problematic, and I appreciate the difficulty in working around them for an airline. But it's not like they are unexpected. Over the duration of the winter, there are going to be storms. And, imho, there should be systems in place that allow the airline to operate more smoothly than they did over the weekend. Not perfectly, of course -- but more smoothly. Is there a way to make it so that things aren't so incredibly intertwined that it wreaks havoc on the system?
And it's not simply the flight logistics, but the dreadful technical performance of the call centers. Major storms happen. The fact appears to be is that UA is unwilling to spend the money or time to ensure as smooth an experience as possible for its customers. I'm not speaking of "normal" call volume issues, but things like the vast number of reports of being disconnected when waiting, crazy hold times and then calling back and getting brief hold times, the web site buckling under pressure, etc. And it seems as though calls to get things done just take so much more time than they did in the past...
Storms are going to happen -- but is there a better way to prepare so that they are ready to handle the situation? I know it won't be perfect like a sunny day, but it seems it could be handled much better....