UA biggest corporate accounts out of SFO (leaked data)
Jan 11, 2019, 10:46 pm
#46
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,195
Senior management and board members don’t like this type of publicity. Anything that has the slightest hint of scandal or political incorrectness is a big issue. Apple loves publicity about it products, not about the inner workings of the company. There’s no upside for Apple (or others listed) with this going viral on the internet.
Jan 11, 2019, 11:20 pm
#47
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: IAH
Posts: 488
Unless there is a large amount of underlying tension and this is the straw that broke it, this may warrant a meeting but it wouldn't fundamentally change much.
Relationships of this size are deeper than a standard corporate travel relationship and quite frankly, bigger data breaches happen all the time with low consequences. A total travel budget that may or may not be in one market isn't exactly the Coke formula.
Jan 11, 2019, 11:27 pm
#48
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 352
Out of curiosity, would all of this data be widely known to DL and AA?
Jan 11, 2019, 11:27 pm
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,404
The issue is more that there are now people out there thinking "50 people a day fly in the fancy business class seats to Shanghai and that's another reason why my iPhone costs $1,000. #BoycottApple "
Most interesting thing in my opinion is how UA is extremely exposed in China if this trade war continues. Would have to imagine it has the potential to have a rather significant impact on SFO-PVG if the US/China relationship doesn’t improve.
This also illustrates the gold mine UA has with its SFO hub to Asia and why they have such large premium cabins compared to AA/DL from LAX/SEA-Asia.
This also illustrates the gold mine UA has with its SFO hub to Asia and why they have such large premium cabins compared to AA/DL from LAX/SEA-Asia.
Jan 11, 2019, 11:29 pm
#50
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Midwest
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum Pro, UA Premier Platinum, IHG Platinum Elite, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 190
I agree on CA and that is exactly what I was saying; Chevron also generates huge travel dollars out of IAH too, but makes the SFO list due to the HQs. Other cities have companies that top those numbers; I know NOV has been spending well over 13,000,000$ a year for example. So Cali $ generation is on that list, but other cities have big hitters too - Chicago, New York, Houston obviously have heavy hitters.
As for Apple, they are certainly not "only" spending money on UA so I am sure that number goes well north of 200mil
As for Apple, they are certainly not "only" spending money on UA so I am sure that number goes well north of 200mil
$275 million
Jan 11, 2019, 11:34 pm
#51
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Midwest
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum Pro, UA Premier Platinum, IHG Platinum Elite, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 190
Surprised Salesforce wasn't on the list
Jan 11, 2019, 11:56 pm
#53
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,115
I've never seen a corp publishing confidential internal information on big and colorful banners that scream "photograph me".
It's almost like someone wanted this to get leaked.
It's almost like someone wanted this to get leaked.
Jan 12, 2019, 2:09 am
#54
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Portland OR
Programs: United 1K 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton HHonors Gold
Posts: 560
I work in the hi tech industry and know for sure that Intel refuses to do customer references. So they’ll be fuming at this leak.
Also, given Apple’s profit warning due to poor revenue from China, that poster may not go down well with the analysts on Wall Street. “Oscar, your biggest corporate client is Apple who are in trouble. How will this affect United’s corporate $150m corporate contract, especially re China?”
Oops.
Also, given Apple’s profit warning due to poor revenue from China, that poster may not go down well with the analysts on Wall Street. “Oscar, your biggest corporate client is Apple who are in trouble. How will this affect United’s corporate $150m corporate contract, especially re China?”
Oops.
Jan 12, 2019, 3:54 am
#55
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
Senior management and board members don’t like this type of publicity. Anything that has the slightest hint of scandal or political incorrectness is a big issue. Apple loves publicity about it products, not about the inner workings of the company. There’s no upside for Apple (or others listed) with this going viral on the internet.
I used to work for one of the biggest investment banks in London. This company’s HQ was in NY. We had a corporate agreement with AA and another with BA. The travel policy was issued to all bankers and spelled out exactly how you were allowed to travel and who needed to approve what. At one point I was given another little guide that told me that, for LHR to JFK, AA was to be preferred at the company had a $900 J agreement on this route, with space available upgrades to F. BA was approved if AA was full or otherwise less desirable (pretty easy to do what you wanted, in other words.). On the next page of this guide it spelled out the total value of the AA relationship, as well as the money spent on transatlantic travel with the different airlines for the prior three years.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jan 12, 2019 at 11:29 am Reason: m
Jan 12, 2019, 5:51 am
#56
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,002
I used to work for one of the biggest investment banks in London. This company’s HQ was in NY. We had a corporate agreement with AA and another with BA. The travel policy was issued to all bankers and spelled out exactly how you were allowed to travel and who needed to approve what. At one point I was given another little guide that told me that, for LHR to JFK, AA was to be preferred at the company had a $900 J agreement on this route, with space available upgrades to F. BA was approved if AA was full or otherwise less desirable (pretty easy to do what you wanted, in other words.). On the next page of this guide it spelled out the total value of the AA relationship, as well as the money spent on transatlantic travel with the different airlines for the prior three years.
Jan 12, 2019, 6:25 am
#57
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
Also, given Apple’s profit warning due to poor revenue from China, that poster may not go down well with the analysts on Wall Street. “Oscar, your biggest corporate client is Apple who are in trouble. How will this affect United’s corporate $150m corporate contract, especially re China?”
Oops.
Oops.
Jan 12, 2019, 7:32 am
#58
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,115
I agree. It also seems many here miss the finer nuances with regards to the exact timing that this picture was leaked. It would have a lot less impact if it was leaked merely a few months ago when AAPL stock wasn't sliding, AAPL's problems in China were less apparent and the trade war was less high on the nation's agenda.
The picture may have leaked yesterday, but is there any clue to when it was taken or when this banner was created? Many here seem the point the finger at UA, but without more information about the circumstances, I will refrain from doing that. Note when I said above that "it's almost like someone wanted this to get leaked," I don't necessarily mean that someone is inside UA.
The picture may have leaked yesterday, but is there any clue to when it was taken or when this banner was created? Many here seem the point the finger at UA, but without more information about the circumstances, I will refrain from doing that. Note when I said above that "it's almost like someone wanted this to get leaked," I don't necessarily mean that someone is inside UA.
Jan 12, 2019, 8:06 am
#59
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Houston
Programs: UA 1K and Million Miler, *A Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hertz Five Star,
Posts: 1,301
UA is stupid for even putting this type of info on a banner period. They will likely pay the price for that mistake.
Jan 12, 2019, 9:00 am
#60
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: NBO/ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 188
Senior management and board members don’t like this type of publicity. Anything that has the slightest hint of scandal or political incorrectness is a big issue. Apple loves publicity about it products, not about the inner workings of the company. There’s no upside for Apple (or others listed) with this going viral on the internet.
Now, on UA management being upset about these numbers going public—that's a different matter entirely, but I don't think it's anything more than a tactical blip.