United Airlines President: Leaving New York’s JFK ‘Was the Wrong Decision’ {2017}
May 3, 2017, 1:21 pm
#316
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At the time the announcement was made to finally abandon JFK, IMHO, it was just the final pull back by UA. NRT and LHR were very disappointing to me, personally, but that was maybe 3 or so years before the CO merger. As a NY'er UA's JFK without int'l offered little to me other than PS. Seeing it shifted to EWR where they could dominate made sense. And living and working in lower Manhattan EWR was easier than JFK anyway, but not for many NY customers and not for the West Coast ones either.
But now UA management has the hindsight of seeing what the abandoning JFK ended up costing in terms of lost contracts and HVFs. And if we take everyone at their word, which is a gamble, maybe the Smisek team's decision was the right one not knowing what they would lose, just as Kirby, with the hindsight of what was lost, is correct because the amount of lost revenue is known.
I just want to mention that before UA dropped NRT and LHR, they held special focus groups and specifically asked those invited what our opinions would be with dropping UA's int'l service form JFK. Whatever that management gleaned from the input, they eventually pulled out the int'l service. Does anyone know if UA reached out to customers before dropping JFK service completely?
Adam
But now UA management has the hindsight of seeing what the abandoning JFK ended up costing in terms of lost contracts and HVFs. And if we take everyone at their word, which is a gamble, maybe the Smisek team's decision was the right one not knowing what they would lose, just as Kirby, with the hindsight of what was lost, is correct because the amount of lost revenue is known.
I just want to mention that before UA dropped NRT and LHR, they held special focus groups and specifically asked those invited what our opinions would be with dropping UA's int'l service form JFK. Whatever that management gleaned from the input, they eventually pulled out the int'l service. Does anyone know if UA reached out to customers before dropping JFK service completely?
Adam
May 3, 2017, 1:26 pm
#317
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Um, I don't recall anyone on FlyerTalk saying that their large corporate account would move to another airline because of the JFK closure. There were several posters who repeatedly said they preferred JFK because of the easier airport experience, better partner connections, and easier upgrades. The basis for all of those preferences are absolutely correct and valid. Unfortunately, very few of the reasons presented on FlyerTalk for maintaining a JFK stations covered meaningful business reasons.
Mar 8, 2019, 10:24 am
#318
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United's Scott Kirby regrets leaving JFK
I found this interesting: [unable to post url: search google for "simpleflying united delay"]
This was a huge factor in me leaving United for Delta...
Scott also discussed how previous United management made the mistake of leaving JFK airport. He lambasted that it costed United lucrative international contracts for passengers flying onwards to London and other European destinations. Whether or not this is a precursor to United to operating back to JFK remains to be seen.
“You can probably personally blame me, at least to some degree, for the fact that United pulled out,” Scott Kirby in 2017. “When I was at American Airlines, we were consciously trying to push United out of JFK. That was our goal.”
“You can probably personally blame me, at least to some degree, for the fact that United pulled out,” Scott Kirby in 2017. “When I was at American Airlines, we were consciously trying to push United out of JFK. That was our goal.”
Mar 8, 2019, 10:32 am
#319
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This was expressed by UA some months ago but they can't get the appropriate slots there any more. IMHO, it's why they are very weak at selling flights for Europeans to New York - people simply don't know about EWR: they either specifically request JFK or think that JFK is the only airport. My wife's company is a classic example. She is the only person who flies into EWR, despite it being more convenient for their office. For her colleagues it goes into the too difficult box. It's the exact equivalent for Americans flying in to LGW instead of LHR.
Mar 8, 2019, 10:38 am
#320
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Last edited by WineCountryUA; Mar 8, 2019 at 11:28 am Reason: snark removed
Mar 8, 2019, 11:24 am
#322
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Kirby has said this many times in many places -- even relatively soon after joining UA - 2017
And in mid-2018 this thread appeared FlightGlobal: United seeks return to New York JFK
And in mid-2018 this thread appeared FlightGlobal: United seeks return to New York JFK
Nov 14, 2019, 3:32 pm
#323
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Nov 14, 2019, 6:57 pm
#324
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Nov 14, 2019, 7:16 pm
#325
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https://skift.com/2017/04/21/united-...rong-decision/
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/ar...rk-jfk-449086/
They're going to lose a bunch more to other airlines because of this change. They're going to lose my int'l flights to foreign *A carriers, and my domestic flights to HA and WN. Or possibly AC if I really want to transfer at YVR and visit Canada which I've never done before.
Nov 14, 2019, 7:17 pm
#326
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The financials don't tell you if the results would have been better had they not pulled out of JFK.
Nov 15, 2019, 4:14 am
#327
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It’s not the point. United was able to sail merrily along after it abandoned JFK and consolidated everything in EWR. There’s no evidence that it either helped or hurt the carrier. At best it made no difference.
Nov 15, 2019, 7:19 am
#328
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Ummm...
But a year and a half later, United’s new president, Scott Kirby, says moving the flights from JFK was a mistake. Many of United’s most lucrative West Coast customers, he said, want to fly into New York City and not New Jersey. And United lost some of them when it switched the flights to Newark, Kirby told employees at a recent town hall meeting in Newark.
“I wish I could roll back the clock and change the decision,” Kirby said, according a recording of the event. “It was the wrong decision.”
“I wish I could roll back the clock and change the decision,” Kirby said, according a recording of the event. “It was the wrong decision.”
Nov 15, 2019, 8:10 am
#329
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Nov 15, 2019, 8:40 am
#330
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Even UA has (now) admitted that pulling out of JFK was a mistake. They lost a bunch of customers who wanted to fly directly into NYC instead of NJ.
https://skift.com/2017/04/21/united-...rong-decision/
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/ar...rk-jfk-449086/
They're going to lose a bunch more to other airlines because of this change. They're going to lose my int'l flights to foreign *A carriers, and my domestic flights to HA and WN. Or possibly AC if I really want to transfer at YVR and visit Canada which I've never done before.
https://skift.com/2017/04/21/united-...rong-decision/
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/ar...rk-jfk-449086/
They're going to lose a bunch more to other airlines because of this change. They're going to lose my int'l flights to foreign *A carriers, and my domestic flights to HA and WN. Or possibly AC if I really want to transfer at YVR and visit Canada which I've never done before.
Again, FT is not representative of the public flying demographic. UA took a much PR hit after Dr. Dao; in comparison, all of these changes are walk in the park.