So how does UA win back the flying public? (Beyond the obvious)
#151
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: DL PM, 1MM, DL SC, Kimpton Inner Circle
Posts: 2,416
If you're not doing anything wrong then you have nothing to fear, right? Isn't that what citizens are always told when government/LE/whomever wants to step up surveillance?
#152
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: UA, Starwood, Priority Club, Hertz, Starbucks Gold Card
Posts: 3,974
UA needs to rediscover the fact that non-elite flyers are its bread-and-butter. Treat them with disdain and disrespect like UA has done for such a long time, eventually stuff like this will hit back on UA's face. UA deserves this backlash 100%.
#153
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: IAH
Programs: Premier Gold, *G
Posts: 63
The Onion has the answers to your questions, including "Who is Oscar Munoz?" (Answer: the CEO of United Airlines for at least the next 72 hours).
http://www.onionstudios.com/videos/5...-airlines-5608
http://www.onionstudios.com/videos/5...-airlines-5608
#154
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Stockholm, Sweden + Austin, Tx
Programs: "But, I'm a GLOBALIST guest...."
Posts: 2,853
I thought non-elite fliers were more SW Airlines bread and butter....
#155
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: PHL suburbs
Posts: 216
#156
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: UA, Starwood, Priority Club, Hertz, Starbucks Gold Card
Posts: 3,974
Non-elites are every airlines' bread-and-butter. They account for as much as 95% of the passenger mix, and 75% of the revenues. This is not saying that airlines should forget about the tiered elites. It's more about changing the antagonistic attitude toward those who are just general members of the FFP.
#157
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 628
Do you play stocks? It totally matters. Many do not buy stocks and hold forever. Fluctuations matter if you are buying on the margin, shorting especially, doing options.
In fact, most of the money made today is based on market fluctuations (like high-frequency trading).
But the point was made by people that United's stock wouldn't budge, and actually went up. So they are wrong. But people predicting the market are often wrong, they just never admit it.
In fact, most of the money made today is based on market fluctuations (like high-frequency trading).
But the point was made by people that United's stock wouldn't budge, and actually went up. So they are wrong. But people predicting the market are often wrong, they just never admit it.
They aren't necessarily indicators of anything except momentary emotional reactions, or computers trading against each other.
#158
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 628
I'm frankly amazed at the number of people victim blaming here. Even if the guy was wrong and even if he 'broke the law' (which I doubt) there are a lot of people here who seem to think it's ok to beat up an old man in public.
Is this what America has become? Maybe it's always been like this but there are more cameras around now.
Is this what America has become? Maybe it's always been like this but there are more cameras around now.
Look, I get that you see this the way you do, but I see it differently. I haven't attacked you for your opinion, I just disagree.
#159
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 87
This incident made me feel that it would make a good Mafia movie:
Oscar Munoz - the mob boss who punishes those who go against his wishes or interferes with his lieutenants' ability to throw their weight around.
Chicago Airport Police - the low level hoodlums who not only want to teach the victim a lesson but make sure that others are intimidated enough not to get out of line in the future.
Oscar Munoz - the mob boss who punishes those who go against his wishes or interferes with his lieutenants' ability to throw their weight around.
Chicago Airport Police - the low level hoodlums who not only want to teach the victim a lesson but make sure that others are intimidated enough not to get out of line in the future.
#160
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: EWR-OGG
Programs: UA 1K, 2mm
Posts: 160
As expected....
1. Well, UA has done the (revised) apology.
2. Next will come the PR campaign (we promise to rebuild your confidence, etc).
These are the usual corporate (non) responses to any problem. Real internal reforms need to address cultural issues that strip any decision making power away from staff (how many times have you heard "...this is what the computer says..." from UA staff).
3. If UA sees that traffic is being affected in a material way, they will offer some sort of low cost benefit (mileage bonus) to those who travel within a certain window. Otherwise, they will stop with 1 and 2 and perhaps some substantive culture reforms.
After a mid-day pounding, UAL was down 0.8% in a flat market. So, the one day investor "cost" was roughly $150M. No matter how you look at this it would have been cheaper to pay the guy off. Can they make it back? Easily. But, it gave a whole bunch of investors pause to rethink the value of their investments. As a professional investor, this kind of uncertainly isn't the sort of thing one likes to see occur in a stock portfolio and I can't see anyone getting excited about adding to their holdings.
2. Next will come the PR campaign (we promise to rebuild your confidence, etc).
These are the usual corporate (non) responses to any problem. Real internal reforms need to address cultural issues that strip any decision making power away from staff (how many times have you heard "...this is what the computer says..." from UA staff).
3. If UA sees that traffic is being affected in a material way, they will offer some sort of low cost benefit (mileage bonus) to those who travel within a certain window. Otherwise, they will stop with 1 and 2 and perhaps some substantive culture reforms.
After a mid-day pounding, UAL was down 0.8% in a flat market. So, the one day investor "cost" was roughly $150M. No matter how you look at this it would have been cheaper to pay the guy off. Can they make it back? Easily. But, it gave a whole bunch of investors pause to rethink the value of their investments. As a professional investor, this kind of uncertainly isn't the sort of thing one likes to see occur in a stock portfolio and I can't see anyone getting excited about adding to their holdings.
#161
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: 6 year GS, now 2MM Jeff-ugee, *wood LTPlt, SkyPeso PLT
Posts: 6,526
Welp, Oscar just released an apology ...
https://hub.united.com/united-expres...355968629.html
Dear Team,
The truly horrific event that occurred on this flight has elicited many responses from all of us: outrage, anger, disappointment. I share all of those sentiments, and one above all: my deepest apologies for what happened. Like you, I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way.
I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right.
It's never too late to do the right thing. I have committed to our customers and our employees that we are going to fix what's broken so this never happens again. This will include a thorough review of crew movement, our policies for incentivizing volunteers in these situations, how we handle oversold situations and an examination of how we partner with airport authorities and local law enforcement. We'll communicate the results of our review by April 30th.
I promise you we will do better.
Sincerely,
Oscar
It will be interesting to see the reaction to this. IMHO, way too late of a response to have the intended impact he is likely hoping for.
https://hub.united.com/united-expres...355968629.html
Dear Team,
The truly horrific event that occurred on this flight has elicited many responses from all of us: outrage, anger, disappointment. I share all of those sentiments, and one above all: my deepest apologies for what happened. Like you, I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way.
I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right.
It's never too late to do the right thing. I have committed to our customers and our employees that we are going to fix what's broken so this never happens again. This will include a thorough review of crew movement, our policies for incentivizing volunteers in these situations, how we handle oversold situations and an examination of how we partner with airport authorities and local law enforcement. We'll communicate the results of our review by April 30th.
I promise you we will do better.
Sincerely,
Oscar
It will be interesting to see the reaction to this. IMHO, way too late of a response to have the intended impact he is likely hoping for.
But it just shows that all of the 'united did nothing wrong' crew were 110% wrong. The video has been veiwed 200 million times in china. LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN. it has been viewed 200 million times in china. Kiss the Chinese market bye, bye.
But be strong united, stick to your computer caps on compensation of $800, if that does not work, just call the cops.... afterall you can rely upon the dot bumping rules as a shield.
Ed Bastain is drinking champaign tonight and thanking united for having such lousy policies and management.
#162
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: EWR-OGG
Programs: UA 1K, 2mm
Posts: 160
It ain't so...
The behavior of UA stock today was precisely what one would expect. It fell on substantive news about a potential UAL earnings hit - one coming from potential hits to traffic both here and in Asia. By the market close the company lost about $150M. Not a big drop because when the dust settles, this will likely go the way of most of these things. Munoz is already saying the right things. Despite threats of a boycott, little of substance will likely happen to traffic and the company may even use this as an incentive to improve.
Sure, today's stock movement isn't outside of normal volatility, but it certainly responded directionally to the news and both Delta and AA were up materially - so UAL clearly lost ground to them. That correlation wasn't random. An investor would have made a few bucks shorting UAL and going long any of its competitors.
Sorry, but this kind of event means a lot to pension plans and 401k's even if you want to make light of it. Read Burton Malkiel's "A Random Walk Down Wall Street" (now in its 9th edition) if you really think stock prices just reflects animal spirits.
End of lecture.
#164
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: UA MileagePlus 2MM
Posts: 1,570
Way too late, way, way too late....
But it just shows that all of the 'united did nothing wrong' crew were 110% wrong. The video has been veiwed 200 million times in china. LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN. it has been viewed 200 million times in china. Kiss the Chinese market bye, bye.��
But be strong united, stick to your computer caps on compensation of $800, if that does not work, just call the cops.... afterall you can rely upon the dot bumping rules as a shield.������
Ed Bastain is drinking champaign tonight and thanking united for having such lousy policies and management.
But it just shows that all of the 'united did nothing wrong' crew were 110% wrong. The video has been veiwed 200 million times in china. LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN. it has been viewed 200 million times in china. Kiss the Chinese market bye, bye.��
But be strong united, stick to your computer caps on compensation of $800, if that does not work, just call the cops.... afterall you can rely upon the dot bumping rules as a shield.������
Ed Bastain is drinking champaign tonight and thanking united for having such lousy policies and management.
Just on CNN - NJ Gov. Chris Christie, perhaps getting back at United for turning evidence on the Port Authority's David Sampson for the "Chairman's Flight", has sent a letter to Donald Trump to ask for a review on airlines' practice of overbooking.
All the knives are coming out!
Adam