Originally Posted by
transportbiz
UA's pathetic attempt at recovery was to pinch pennies in every way. The most logical option if they couldn't have gone straight onto LHR would have been to go to JFK, where UA could have dispersed pax on any of dozens of flights from various carriers and gotten them to LHR without having to find a crew or an aircraft. At UA fortress EWR hub the ONLY viable option is UA.
This entire episode shows UA's complete lack of planning, care, and organizational operation. It seems from the armchair view the entire company was running around like beheaded chickens, with no direction or strategy.
In trying to understand the corporate drivers behind these fiascoes, I have concluded there is a rational element in their decision making=what is the least expensive direct cost to the airline? Obviously, passenger support and brand identity are two immediate casualties of this cheapskate optimization approach.