MatthewLAX

Actions speak louder than words...

Why did the FA fight me when I asked to be served my hamburger at the end of the flight last night instead of after takeoff?

This supposedly "p.s." concept is a joke if FAs are too lazy to keep a meal warm.

bocastephen

Maybe they didn't get the same email we did

But truthfully, anyone who thinks customer facing staff are going to wake up one morning as a completely changed group, marching lock-step together towards a set of common values and goals is going to be seriously disappointed.

For every point outlined in that email, there are countless staff just waiting to go in the opposite extreme on everything from denied boarding to lost luggage to inflight service. This is lip service and everyone knows it - there is only one winner out of all of this, and it's Dr Dao with his new millions. For everyone else, nothing will change.

gene2632

Why did it take me three emails to customer service to get back my 40K miles from a failed MUA last week? The first two replied that I had gotten the miles back but when I looked at my account and my wife's, no one got miles back after this trip. She got miles back in November and we then used those miles to for the MUA attempt for this trip...Maybe Oscar cares, but there are a whole lot of folks in the trenches who don't really care, until they are pushed.

ovenman

Still no sign of Oscar's email here in Thailand; I suppose the bytes are slow reaching the hinterlands. Just out of curiousity, when did the first batch go out?

Marilu

Zappos and Amazon both show a strong commitment to customer service. I shop with both (orders of magnitude more with Amazon) and they are outstanding.

I swore off United over a decade ago but I continually hear about negative experiences with them from friends and colleagues who still fly them. Delta is not perfect, but of the remaining Legacies, they are arguably the best at customer relations.

I stopped chasing status with Delta since they began stripping their program, but I am still treated with the same respect and courtesy as when I had status on the occasions I do fly Delta, albeit with a lot less perks. Of course there are always the few bad apples, but with Delta, that's what they are--a few bad apples--rather than an ingrained culture of "us versus them" as is the case with United.

It's a good start, but it's going to take a lot more than a letter to change the culture at United.

Lani1

I have seen this song and dance before - 17+ year 1K who has no choice with travel pattern to use anyone but United


Nothing will change, same bad attitude same bad service

porciuscato

Competition would change things:

http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21721201-americans-are-treated-abysmally-their-airlines-they-should-look-europe-lessons-lack

aaflyr

This rapid backtracking and presentation of a peace offering would have never been contemplated had the initial statement by Mr. Munoz not met with such swift and negative financial, public, and media reactions. UA gambled on empty revenue seats and lost that bet making passengers pay for their lost bet. It is ironic, and disturbing, that in the time when airlines have reduced flights resulting in more passengers crammed into full flights this practice even continues.

UA's actions are seemingly an enticement to get passengers to ignore UA’s track record of putting profits first while nickel and diming passengers. Passengers bear the burden of increased airline profits from less frequent but fuller flights, decreased leg and seat room to accommodate more passengers, and paying every conceivable fee including speaking to a live agent, redeeming airline miles, change fees, checking bags, selecting a non-cramped seat, and having to pay for drinks and overpriced junk food. Now we are supposed to smile and say all is forgiven? United Airline’s Management historical decisions and actions, prior to and during Mr. Munoz tenure, has shown United’s most recent actions are nothing but damage control.

From an industry that over the years has fought tooth and nail against a passenger’s bill of rights, we are supposed to believe that United has simply turned over new leaf and is suddenly interested in the plight of passengers. Maybe it is time for UA Shareholders to take this opportunity to start fresh with new management and ideas that can rejuvenate passenger trust and interest in the airline industry.

PilgrimsProgress

The US airlines have lied for years ...

Smaller seat pitch is good for passengers
Lack of competition is good for the passengers
We are doing you a favor with our frequent flyer programs
A toothless dot is good for passengers
Lack of regulation is good for the passengers
Overbooking is good for the passenger
The horrible feedback by passengers on skytrax is a vast right wing conspiracy by the me3
Charging supplementary fees for every little thing is good for the passengers
Airlines are the backbone of the American economy so must be subsidised
Inordinate profits by the airlines are good for the passengers

Maybe congress will undo the damage from all the failed policies. At this point they seem to be confused by lobbyists and words (as opposed to actions).

Annerk

However independent they might seem, the reality is that Amazon still owns them, and therefore controls the purse strings.



Are you saying that leading by example doesn't work? I've worked for numerous companies, large and small, and those who lead by example had a much better culture--and much happier customers. I'm not saying cultural change in an organization as broken as UAL will happen overnight, but if Munoz doesn't begin to be seen as someone who shares the pain and works alongside the employees in the trenches, there will be no change, just lip service.

fastair

Airline capacity is up, RASM is not Your entire post is based on a false statement.

https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/...ould-inve.aspx

laxmillenial

Good one! Congress confused by lobbyists? I'm pretty sure Congress knows exactly what it wants from lobbyists... hint $$$ or other 'donations'

blueman2

For all the talk and opinions shared in this thread, the above article shows the only real solution: More Competition. No company is nice to customers just because it is right to do so. They only do it because they HAVE TO in order to beat the competition. No competition, no being nice to customers.

wco81

Not such a great year for Oscar, with the poor state of the Polaris rollout and the David Dao case.

We may have to grouse about Scott Kirby some time next year.

narvik

He certainly didn't prove to be the Knight In Shining Armour who swept in, rescuing the poor damsel in distress (Ms United Airlines) from all her sufferings.