RandomBaritone

May I ask where you read that? Something so inflammatory should include a source.

Concorde28

Sitting in the GS Lounge at HKG and wonder if the flight attendants will be smiling a bit on the way to SFO. Better yet, will they play one of his awful infomercials. Unfortunately, given his severance package, he will be laughing all the way to the bank.

DCEsquire

If this all there is ..there is NO WAY he is going to jail for not canceling a route that may have benefited the former NJ Port Authority Chief. No way. He is road kill in a much larger investigation in my view.

I posit that the larger, and more important (but less enjoyable) topic for conversation is what other shoes are going to fall?

Also, getting the CEO of a major corporation is HUGE for an AG/DA. Jeff will be fine but that's the end of the gravy train (with all respect for the new CSX CEO) for him it would seem.

cerealmarketer

I agree the new CEO isn't leaving his job for a puppet 'wait for the search' job.

But for the corruption angle --- perception is reality.

To think the board would use this as cover for other reasons to dismiss is fantasy.

Today's announcement tarnished the reputation of the company - far more than letting someone go for operational performance.

No board with fiduciary interest would use it as cover for replacement.

We may never know, but am betting some indictment was pending that put the shareholder's interest at risk, and this may help deflect it.

DCA writer

Update: The happy FAs on my IAD-SFO flight didn't seem to charge for anybody's drinks the rest of the way to San Francisco. They ran out of white wine!

riphamilton

BBC's headline is "United Airlines CEO quits amid probe", along with a stock photo of a UA rising liveried 744.

in terms of PR it'll be interesting to see whether both domestic and international news outlets take a somewhat lazy approach of "jeff was corrupt and bribed a PANYNJ official", and then what sort of reputational toll that takes on UAL.

fingers crossed we get a juicy NYDN and/or NY post front cover in the morning.

ffI

What they have done is replaced one member of the board with another member.
More of the same
Plus ca change, ......

What in the world were they thinking?
A single call to AA - Horton would have been a great replacement for the long haul.

B787938

Here are the changes I would like to see:

1) Give front line employees some credit for understanding what customers need and empower them to make things right. I think Jeff used to call it treat people with "respect and dignity." AS does what is says it is going do - I know I have been flying them. A lot. It is not that hard. Their people care - and are empowered - and it shows.

2) Fix the FA CBA problem now. Get the work groups integrated.

3) Rename the holding company United Air Lines, Inc. How long ago did the merger happen? Why is the company still called Continental? I mean I loved CO but really?

And as far as Bethune's comments today go, I think he is a few days away from needing Shady Acres. He is out to lunch. Reading between the lines there is still the snark he has always had for UA. Does he realize the CO of 2011 was not the CO he left seven years earlier? Half of the UA management that came with the merger were the problem? Whatever.

kirkwoodj

+1. The vitriol is flowing out!

PV_Premier

it is not an easy task, but it appears you have managed to be declared the undisputed winner of this thread ^:-:

Shareholder

This is clearly an interim measure until UA finds a suitable new CEO/President. Stable hand on the tiller until the federal investigation is over. Most unlikely we'll see any changes in operations or future plans/fleet allocation/aircraft configuration. Smisek had to play game with Samson and the corrupt New Jersey crew or UA would face it's own version of the GWBC at EWR. Look for someone like ex-AC CEO Robert Milton take the real job in the new year when things cool down.

DCEsquire

Excellent point. To distill it further 12mm > 4mm. Boy though he JUMPED really quickly at this opportunity. Has just been prez of CSX since Feb of this year!!!

http://www.bloomberg.com/research/st...847&ticker=CSX

vs.

http://www.bloomberg.com/research/st...806&ticker=UAL

He's no slouch though..(MBA, CFO, EVP). Super solid and with all respect to my profession - seems much more qualified to run the company than Jeff did. That said, his $$$$ focus may make him more of a bean counter. That's probably not good for us.

---

Mr. Oscar Munoz has been the President of CSX Corp. since February 11, 2015. Mr. Munoz has been the Chief Operating Officer of CSX Corp. since January 2012 and served as its Executive Vice President from January 2012 to February 11, 2015. He served as the Chief Financial Officer of CSX Corp. since May 5, 2003. Mr. Munoz served as the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of CSX Transportation Inc. since May 2003. He was responsible for all financial, strategic planning, information technology and real estate activities for one of the largest rail and logistics networks in the United States. His financial duties include management of all accounting, tax and treasury activities for CSX. Before May 2003, Mr. Munoz served as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Consumer Services at AT&T Corporation from January 2001 to May 2003 and has previously held key financial positions with Coca Cola Enterprises, Coca Cola Company and USWest Communications, Inc. He served as Senior Vice President of Finance & Administration of Qwest Communications International Inc. from June 2000 to December 2000, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of U.S. West Retail Markets from April 1999 to May 2000 and before April 1999, he served as Controller and Vice President at USWEST Communications Inc. He serves as a Director at United Airlines, Inc. and CSX Corp. He serves as a Board Member of Transportation Technology Center, Inc. He has been a Director of United Continental Holdings, Inc. since 2010. He served as a Director of Continental Airlines Inc., since March 2004. He served as a Director of CSX Transportation Inc. In 2001, he was named one of the “100 Most Influential Hispanics“ by Hispanic Business magazine. Mr. Munoz received his BS in Business Administration from the University of Southern California in 1982 and an MBA from Pepperdine University in 1986.

DCEsquire

Thanks for the report. Not surprising but I still gotta say WOW, just WOW!

FlyWorld

I have zero expectation that we'll return to the way things were before United Airlines was taken over by Continental Airlines and renamed United Continental Holdings, Inc.

Continental is still in control and that isn't going to change. The overall strategy of becoming a giant version of RyanAir isn't going to change. The penny pinching cheapness and cost-cutting everywhere isn't going to change.

What might change is the lying and cheating and narcissism.

If this company under Munoz (or anyone else's) leadership does what they say they will do, and honors their promises, and doesn't make me sit through condescending narcissistic lectures at the start of every flight segment, then on principle, I'm willing to spend some money with them when it makes sense.

This is as much as I feel that I can hope for. Just stop lying and cheating and don't make me listen to lectures about how great you want to tell me you are.

That's it.

REPUBLIC757

Gordo is senile. Delta had something a LOT worse on their hands during their merger. A little airline called Northwest with just as much bad press and baggage as United around that time. And Delta's image was also in the toilet In 2008, just not as toxic labor wise as NW.

Delta pulled it off remarkably. COs influence on UA has been nothing but tactical bullying, cutbacks, and arrogance -- with Jeff all the while talking about how great it is even though it was garbage


Good riddance. I lose more respect for Bethune every day.