United Cancellations Getting Insane

Closed Thread Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Jul 16, 2012, 4:37 pm

#121

Beerman92

Join Date: Nov 2005

Location: SFO and OAK

Programs: FAF, Hyatt <>, SPG PLT

Posts: 2,240

Quote:

Originally Posted by freshairborne

There is a distinction that you are ignoring. It's a different airline. UA and CO are under the same holding company, but United Express is not. I don't know what airline operates UX in & out of the Springs, but United Airlines isn't one of them.

Why does this distinction need to be made? I just fail to see how it has any relevance to me, a pax. I buy a ticket on United and I get on planes and I get to my destination. Just like Beerwoman92 buys an iphone from Apple, contacts Apple with any issues, etc.

I've posted it before, I've flown on regional jets on United and on Delta that are "operated" by the same airline but in reality the experience is either a United experience (no wifi, no proper meal, no plates or real glasses, etc.) or a Delta experience (wifi, a real meal, real plates and glasses, etc.).

I actually know a few United employees (as you have characterized them) who were pleasantly surprised by their experience when they actually flew on an express flight. Just as management drills in the company line whether or not it is accurate the various unions at United drill in that it is an important thing that express is not United and is inferior to mainline. Just as I question United management (more and more these days) I question the messaging from the unions as well. Reality usually resides somewhere between the two dogmatic views expressed.

Jul 16, 2012, 5:09 pm

#122

FlyingNut724

Join Date: Jun 2011

Location: Colorado

Programs: United MM (formerly 1K), Marriott Lifetime Gold

Posts: 551

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beerman92

It makes a big difference to the pilot's contract negotiations. There appears to be a significant issue about how many more flights will be outsourced to UX thus resulting in job losses to the pilot's union.

You can see their anger about the situation here:

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/cal-ual-merger/

Jul 16, 2012, 5:11 pm

#123

DeaconFlyer

Suspended

Join Date: Jul 2009

Location: DCA

Programs: UA Gold

Posts: 1,653

Quote:

Originally Posted by ualp

I have lost count on how many times I've had a mx person tell me that.

As I posted, the line guys WANT to fix the planes. And they're good at what they do.
However, they are not given the latitude to do the job.
More often than not they pop into the cockpit, tell us they're going to defer the offending system, and put an orange sticker on it.
Then the call falls on our shoulders to decide whether or not the deferral is acceptable for our flight.

In effect, we are made out to be the "bad guy" because the PILOTS shot the plane down.
Then, that's what gets communicated to the pax, often at the hands of our CS folks.
And 'round and 'round we go!

Seems like the bolded goes perfectly with the standard line that "the pilot is the final authority on the plane." With great power comes great responsibility.

Jul 16, 2012, 5:20 pm

#124

vsr8282

Join Date: Jul 2012

Posts: 1

Flight to California got cancelled

I suppose to fly California today morning and woke up at 4am got ready and had a email saying got cancelled. It's so disappointing and had to request for excuse from boss.

Called united customer service and they mentioned due some mechanical reasons, not sure how much truth is that?

Jul 16, 2012, 5:39 pm

#125

ualp

Join Date: Jun 2011

Posts: 272

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeaconFlyer

Seems like the bolded goes perfectly with the standard line that "the pilot is the final authority on the plane." With great power comes great responsibility.

That's Spiderman!
A superhero I am not.

Jul 16, 2012, 5:43 pm

#126

aCavalierInCoach

Join Date: Aug 2003

Location: Northern California

Programs: I want to be free! Free!

Posts: 3,455

Quote:

Originally Posted by vsr8282

I suppose to fly California today morning and woke up at 4am got ready and had a email saying got cancelled. It's so disappointing and had to request for excuse from boss.

Called united customer service and they mentioned due some mechanical reasons, not sure how much truth is that?

UA is leading the pack among majors for most cancellations once again today. Wonder if they'll set some kind of record on this.

Jul 16, 2012, 5:55 pm

#127

JFKSFOLAX_friend

Suspended

Join Date: Dec 2009

Posts: 3,816

Quote:

Originally Posted by aCavalierInCoach

UA is leading the pack among majors for most cancellations once again today. Wonder if they'll set some kind of record on this.

Stats please.

Jul 16, 2012, 5:59 pm

#128

FlyWorld

Join Date: Jun 2005

Posts: 4,645

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFKSFOLAX_friend

Stats please.

Jul 16 (to date)

UA 46 cancelled - 67% on time overall
AA 6 cancelled - 81% on time overall
DL 12 cancelled - 81% on time overall

http://www.flightstats.com/go/Airlin...7-16&x=45&y=11

http://www.flightstats.com/go/Airlin...ate=2012-07-16

http://www.flightstats.com/go/Airlin...7-16&x=25&y=13

According to this international survey:

http://www.flightstats.com/go/story.do?id=1020

We're still doing much better than Tunis Air, which has a 44.10% on-time rating. It can be worse.

Last edited by FlyWorld; Jul 16, 2012 at 6:06 pm

Jul 16, 2012, 6:40 pm

#129

halls120

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Jun 2005

Posts: 57,617

Quote:

Originally Posted by emu

Could there be marginal cases where pilots are a little more reluctant to fly a plane? Maybe... But let's give the pilots the benefit of the doubt and certainly not wholly blame them for the spree of cancellations.

We don't have to speculate about pilot motives when there is a very simple and objective explanation. When you cross fleet as aggressively as United has done, and your planes end up at airports overnight where there are no parts and mechanics qualified on that particular aircraft, minor annoyances don't get taken care of, and eventually, the aircraft goes MX.

Jul 16, 2012, 6:49 pm

#130

emu

Join Date: Dec 2007

Location: ATL

Programs: DL Platinum; UA 1K

Posts: 65

Quote:

Originally Posted by halls120

that was my point...

Jul 16, 2012, 6:52 pm

#131

clubord

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: KEWR

Programs: Marriott Platinum

Posts: 794

Quote:

Originally Posted by halls120

Glad someone gets it here!

Jul 16, 2012, 6:57 pm

#132

cfischer

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2005

Location: BOS/EAP

Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat

Posts: 32,092

Quote:

Originally Posted by aluminumdriver

It does seem cancellations are way up. Please write United and complain.

AD

2 cancellation in a row and an invol. reroute into another airport with a total 7 hour delay last month EWR-PVD rerouted to EWR-BOS. United gave me 7k miles

What a joke. They really don't care. Asked to be put on the Acela, but they said it was not possible anymore.

Jul 16, 2012, 7:01 pm

#133

Pingtung

Join Date: Jan 2005

Location: Maine

Programs: UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Plat, National EE, Hertz PC

Posts: 706

Quote:

Originally Posted by vsr8282

I suppose to fly California today morning and woke up at 4am got ready and had a email saying got cancelled. It's so disappointing and had to request for excuse from boss.

I got up at 4am ready to leave for my 6am flight to ORD and saw my flight was cancelled as well. Delays and cancellations are just happening a lot. I've had 4 cancellations since mid May that I couldn't attribute to weather and numerous UA and UAX flights that have been delayed over 1 1/2 hours awaiting inbound plane or crew.

UA can talk about how they are scaling back utilization and whatever, but the trust that UA can get us there on time is being lost quickly.