So how does UA win back the flying public? (Beyond the obvious)
For a while, I've figured that the airlines pretty much ignore passengers screaming on social media "You bumped me and I'm never flying you again!" because, frankly, with everyone who says that about UA, DL and AA on a given day, it's probably all a wash to them.
Sunday's incident on the ORD-SDF flight was different. Yes the entire world is rightfully outraged after what they saw on videos. But I'm seeing lots of "I'll never fly UA again" from FTers who have been around for hundreds of posts (many of whom have status). I'm also seeing here and elsewhere reports of HVFs instructing travel agents to "book away" from UA in large numbers.
So, for the sake of this thread, let's assume that this is the start of a large and disproportionate shift of the angry flying public away from UA. If you're UA, what do you do to win fliers back?
I think the following are "obvious," responding to the recent mess:
1) Oscar needs to release a public statement publicly acknowledging the tone-deaf nature of both his initial response and the end result of everyone's actions in Chicago on Sunday.
2) The board may need to look at forcing some changes within UA, some have suggested sacking Oscar.
3) UA implements and/or changes overbooking and crew deadheading policies to indicate that pax on UA or UX flights never are displaced once seated for a crew issue.
4) UA needs to reach out to the pax and make right with him (and the others on that flight). This may end up being forced upon them in civil courts, but UA may want to get proactive here.
Beyond "the obvious" (and assuming "the obvious" actually happens), what do you think UA needs to do to get the rest of the flying public, HVF and occasional/price-sensitive fliers alike, back on board?
I think nothing short of a world-class doubling down on customer service, spending money on things AA and DL won't, will move the bookings needle back. But what specific customer-friendly steps does that entail, to not just fix the overbooking/deadhead policies to prevent Sunday's fiasco from repeating, but to win back the flying public?
Thoughts?