Mar 7, 2020, 6:07 pm
Last edit by: onthesam
27 March 2020 Oscar message to customers
6 March 2020
07 March 2020
March 28
I hope this note finds you and your loved ones healthy and well.
It is safe to say these past weeks have been among some of the most tumultuous and emotional that any of us can remember in our lifetimes. The impact of the coronavirus outbreak has been felt by individuals and families, companies and communities, across the United States and around the world.
The response to this crisis has been extraordinary; as much for what it has required from our society as for what it has revealed of us as a people.
Far from causing division and discord, this crisis and the social distancing it has required, has allowed us to witness something profound and moving about ourselves: our fond and deeply felt wish to be connected with one another.
The role of connector is one we're privileged to play in the moments that matter most in your life – weddings and graduations, birthdays and business trips, events large and small – and it's that responsibility that motivates us most to get back to our regular service, as soon as possible.
That is why it is so important our government acted on a comprehensive relief act to ensure our airline – and our industry – are ready and able to serve you again when this crisis abates.
I want to relay to you, in as deeply personal a way I can, the heartfelt appreciation of my 100,000 United team members and their families for this vital public assistance to keep America and United flying for you.
This support will save jobs in our business and many others. And it allows us time to make decisions about the future of our airline to ensure that we can offer you the service you deserve and have come to expect as our customers.
While consumer demand has fallen, we have seen the need for our service and capabilities shifted. And, we've adapted to help meet those needs.
Right now, aircraft flying the United livery and insignia, flown by our aviation professionals, have been repurposed to deliver vital medical supplies and goods to some of the places that need it most. We're also using several of our idle widebody aircraft to use as dedicated charter cargo flights, at least 40 times per week, to transfer freight to and from U.S. locations as well as to key international business locations. At the same time, we are working in concert with the U.S. State Department to bring stranded Americans who are trying to return home back to their loved ones.
While much remains uncertain right now, one thing is for sure: this crisis will pass. Our nation and communities will recover and United will return to service you, our customers. When that happens, we want you to fly United with even greater pride because of the actions we took on behalf of our customers, our employees and everyone we serve.
Stay safe and be well,
[img]data:[/img] Oscar Munoz
CEO
E-mail Rec'd April 30, 2020
To our customers,
I hope this note finds you and your loved ones healthy and well.
It is safe to say these past weeks have been among some of the most tumultuous and emotional that any of us can remember in our lifetimes. The impact of the coronavirus outbreak has been felt by individuals and families, companies and communities, across the United States and around the world.
The response to this crisis has been extraordinary; as much for what it has required from our society as for what it has revealed of us as a people.
Far from causing division and discord, this crisis and the social distancing it has required, has allowed us to witness something profound and moving about ourselves: our fond and deeply felt wish to be connected with one another.
The role of connector is one we're privileged to play in the moments that matter most in your life – weddings and graduations, birthdays and business trips, events large and small – and it's that responsibility that motivates us most to get back to our regular service, as soon as possible.
That is why it is so important our government acted on a comprehensive relief act to ensure our airline – and our industry – are ready and able to serve you again when this crisis abates.
I want to relay to you, in as deeply personal a way I can, the heartfelt appreciation of my 100,000 United team members and their families for this vital public assistance to keep America and United flying for you.
This support will save jobs in our business and many others. And it allows us time to make decisions about the future of our airline to ensure that we can offer you the service you deserve and have come to expect as our customers.
While consumer demand has fallen, we have seen the need for our service and capabilities shifted. And, we've adapted to help meet those needs.
Right now, aircraft flying the United livery and insignia, flown by our aviation professionals, have been repurposed to deliver vital medical supplies and goods to some of the places that need it most. We're also using several of our idle widebody aircraft to use as dedicated charter cargo flights, at least 40 times per week, to transfer freight to and from U.S. locations as well as to key international business locations. At the same time, we are working in concert with the U.S. State Department to bring stranded Americans who are trying to return home back to their loved ones.
While much remains uncertain right now, one thing is for sure: this crisis will pass. Our nation and communities will recover and United will return to service you, our customers. When that happens, we want you to fly United with even greater pride because of the actions we took on behalf of our customers, our employees and everyone we serve.
Stay safe and be well,
Oscar Munoz
CEO
I hope this note finds you and your loved ones healthy and well.
It is safe to say these past weeks have been among some of the most tumultuous and emotional that any of us can remember in our lifetimes. The impact of the coronavirus outbreak has been felt by individuals and families, companies and communities, across the United States and around the world.
The response to this crisis has been extraordinary; as much for what it has required from our society as for what it has revealed of us as a people.
Far from causing division and discord, this crisis and the social distancing it has required, has allowed us to witness something profound and moving about ourselves: our fond and deeply felt wish to be connected with one another.
The role of connector is one we're privileged to play in the moments that matter most in your life – weddings and graduations, birthdays and business trips, events large and small – and it's that responsibility that motivates us most to get back to our regular service, as soon as possible.
That is why it is so important our government acted on a comprehensive relief act to ensure our airline – and our industry – are ready and able to serve you again when this crisis abates.
I want to relay to you, in as deeply personal a way I can, the heartfelt appreciation of my 100,000 United team members and their families for this vital public assistance to keep America and United flying for you.
This support will save jobs in our business and many others. And it allows us time to make decisions about the future of our airline to ensure that we can offer you the service you deserve and have come to expect as our customers.
While consumer demand has fallen, we have seen the need for our service and capabilities shifted. And, we've adapted to help meet those needs.
Right now, aircraft flying the United livery and insignia, flown by our aviation professionals, have been repurposed to deliver vital medical supplies and goods to some of the places that need it most. We're also using several of our idle widebody aircraft to use as dedicated charter cargo flights, at least 40 times per week, to transfer freight to and from U.S. locations as well as to key international business locations. At the same time, we are working in concert with the U.S. State Department to bring stranded Americans who are trying to return home back to their loved ones.
While much remains uncertain right now, one thing is for sure: this crisis will pass. Our nation and communities will recover and United will return to service you, our customers. When that happens, we want you to fly United with even greater pride because of the actions we took on behalf of our customers, our employees and everyone we serve.
Stay safe and be well,
Oscar Munoz
CEO
A Message From Oscar Munoz and Scott Kirby
CHICAGO, March 15, 2020
-- Oscar Munoz, Chief Executive Officer, and J. Scott Kirby, President, today issued the following message to nearly 100,000 United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL) employees:
To our United family:
In the message we sent to you last Thursday, we promised to stay in close touch about the impact of the coronavirus on our business and the steps that we're taking to aggressively manage it.
In just the last few days, the impact of the coronavirus has really hit home and disrupted the daily routines of hundreds of millions of people in the United States and around the world. State and local governments continue to close schools, encourage people to avoid bars and restaurants and cancel more large gatherings. This weekend, President Trump announced new travel restrictions for the United Kingdom and Ireland. Watching this unfold, you won't be surprised to hear that the impact of the coronavirus on our business has also gotten quite a bit worse.
As the leaders of the 100,000 people of United, we feel a deep obligation to each of you to run our company in a way that protects you -- and your ability to provide for your family at home. We also owe it to you, especially in a crisis, to be open with you about important decisions we face.
We want to share some numbers to help you understand just how bad the impact of the coronavirus has been on our business. As you know, March is typically our busiest month of the year. But this year, in just the first two weeks of March, we have welcomed more than one million fewer customers on board our aircraft than the same period last year. We're also currently projecting that revenue in March will be $1.5 billion lower than last March.
The bad news is that it's getting worse. We expect both the number of customers and revenue to decline sharply in the days and weeks ahead.
Since late January, we have taken steps to aggressively manage this crisis and to keep you informed every step of the way - sharply reducing schedules, imposing a hiring freeze, introducing a voluntary leave program, dramatically reducing discretionary spending, cutting CEO base salary 100% and deferring a salary increase. Our competitors have started to follow suit: on Friday, Delta announced a 40% schedule reduction and a 100% salary cut for their CEO and over the weekend, American said it will reduce its international capacity by 75%.
We took early, aggressive action because we have been determined to do everything possible to avoid painful steps that affect your paycheck. But, based on the severity of the situation, that no longer appears realistic.
This weekend, we began conversations with our union leadership about how to reduce our payroll expense in a way that minimizes what we know will be painful for all of us. Earlier this evening, we convened a call with Corporate Officers to update them on the severity of the situation and let them know we will be cutting their salary by 50%.
Let us be clear: these are not the only next steps. Tomorrow, we will announce an approximately 50% cut in capacity for April and May. We also now expect these deep cuts to extend into the summer travel period. Even with those cuts, we're expecting load factors to drop into the 20-30% range -- and that's if things don't get worse.
Together, we're facing an unprecedented challenge. When medical experts say that our health and safety depends on people staying home and practicing social distancing, it's nearly impossible to run a business whose shared purpose is "Connecting people. Uniting the world."
We both hate to have to write a note like this, but we have made a commitment to be honest and transparent with you. While it's now clear that this is going to painful for our people, we promise that you are at the very top of our priority list. We are working night and day on support and ideas to keep as much pay as we possibly can flowing to you -- even if gets worse from here and demand temporarily plummets to zero.
This crisis is moving really quickly. It's having an impact on nearly every aspect of our lives, and it may feel to you like everything is changing. But, the most important thing about our business hasn't changed: you've shown us that even in these difficult times, we're still United and focused on caring for our customers and each other together. That's always been the essential ingredient to our success. It's what will get us through this crisis in the near term, and it's also what will allow us to fulfill United's incredible potential in the long-term.
We'll continue to communicate frequently and transparently in the days ahead.
With resolve,
Oscar and Scott
CHICAGO, March 15, 2020
-- Oscar Munoz, Chief Executive Officer, and J. Scott Kirby, President, today issued the following message to nearly 100,000 United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL) employees:
To our United family:
In the message we sent to you last Thursday, we promised to stay in close touch about the impact of the coronavirus on our business and the steps that we're taking to aggressively manage it.
In just the last few days, the impact of the coronavirus has really hit home and disrupted the daily routines of hundreds of millions of people in the United States and around the world. State and local governments continue to close schools, encourage people to avoid bars and restaurants and cancel more large gatherings. This weekend, President Trump announced new travel restrictions for the United Kingdom and Ireland. Watching this unfold, you won't be surprised to hear that the impact of the coronavirus on our business has also gotten quite a bit worse.
As the leaders of the 100,000 people of United, we feel a deep obligation to each of you to run our company in a way that protects you -- and your ability to provide for your family at home. We also owe it to you, especially in a crisis, to be open with you about important decisions we face.
We want to share some numbers to help you understand just how bad the impact of the coronavirus has been on our business. As you know, March is typically our busiest month of the year. But this year, in just the first two weeks of March, we have welcomed more than one million fewer customers on board our aircraft than the same period last year. We're also currently projecting that revenue in March will be $1.5 billion lower than last March.
The bad news is that it's getting worse. We expect both the number of customers and revenue to decline sharply in the days and weeks ahead.
Since late January, we have taken steps to aggressively manage this crisis and to keep you informed every step of the way - sharply reducing schedules, imposing a hiring freeze, introducing a voluntary leave program, dramatically reducing discretionary spending, cutting CEO base salary 100% and deferring a salary increase. Our competitors have started to follow suit: on Friday, Delta announced a 40% schedule reduction and a 100% salary cut for their CEO and over the weekend, American said it will reduce its international capacity by 75%.
We took early, aggressive action because we have been determined to do everything possible to avoid painful steps that affect your paycheck. But, based on the severity of the situation, that no longer appears realistic.
This weekend, we began conversations with our union leadership about how to reduce our payroll expense in a way that minimizes what we know will be painful for all of us. Earlier this evening, we convened a call with Corporate Officers to update them on the severity of the situation and let them know we will be cutting their salary by 50%.
Let us be clear: these are not the only next steps. Tomorrow, we will announce an approximately 50% cut in capacity for April and May. We also now expect these deep cuts to extend into the summer travel period. Even with those cuts, we're expecting load factors to drop into the 20-30% range -- and that's if things don't get worse.
Together, we're facing an unprecedented challenge. When medical experts say that our health and safety depends on people staying home and practicing social distancing, it's nearly impossible to run a business whose shared purpose is "Connecting people. Uniting the world."
We both hate to have to write a note like this, but we have made a commitment to be honest and transparent with you. While it's now clear that this is going to painful for our people, we promise that you are at the very top of our priority list. We are working night and day on support and ideas to keep as much pay as we possibly can flowing to you -- even if gets worse from here and demand temporarily plummets to zero.
This crisis is moving really quickly. It's having an impact on nearly every aspect of our lives, and it may feel to you like everything is changing. But, the most important thing about our business hasn't changed: you've shown us that even in these difficult times, we're still United and focused on caring for our customers and each other together. That's always been the essential ingredient to our success. It's what will get us through this crisis in the near term, and it's also what will allow us to fulfill United's incredible potential in the long-term.
We'll continue to communicate frequently and transparently in the days ahead.
With resolve,
Oscar and Scott
6 March 2020
Dear -------
I consider you part of our United family and your safety remains our highest priority.
We are in the business of serving people and in the midst of this coronavirus outbreak it's important that we give you as much flexibility as possible when planning your next trip. But it's also important that we give you as much information as possible about the procedures we follow to clean our aircraft and maintain a sanitary environment once we're in the air.
Our teams are in daily contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), federal agencies and other global health organizations to share the most up-to-the-minute information to ensure the actions we're taking are comprehensive and appropriate.
So today, I wanted to personally reach out and share a few of the steps we are taking for you, our customer:
Before you fly
To give you the greatest flexibility, when you book any flight with us now through March 31, you can change it for free over the next 12 months – any ticket, any fare type, any destination.
On the ground
Our team of in-house medical experts and industrial hygienists oversee our aircraft cleaning procedures to ensure they meet or exceed all CDC guidelines. Hard surfaces such as lavatories, tray tables, window shades and armrests are thoroughly wiped down with a high-grade disinfectant and multi-purpose cleaner. And when we are advised by the CDC of a person who has traveled on board and is potentially exhibiting coronavirus symptoms, that aircraft is taken out of service and sent through a full decontamination process that includes our standard cleaning procedures plus washing ceilings and overhead bins and scrubbing the interior.
In the air
Our aircraft are equipped with state-of-the-art circulation systems, similar to those found in hospitals, which use a high-efficiency (HEPA) filter to circulate the air and remove more than 99% of airborne particles. We're also adjusting our inflight service to limit person-to-person contamination. This includes handing beverages directly to customers instead of allowing customers to touch a tray and ensuring all flight attendants wear gloves during service.
More information on each of these efforts can be found on the United Hub.
I know I speak for every member of our United family when I say that we take the greatest pride in the role we play in the lives of our customers, personally and professionally.
I want you to know that you can continue to rely on us. So, the next time we have the privilege of welcoming you aboard our aircraft, you can know our commitment to you remains as steadfast as ever.
Kind regards,
Oscar Munoz
CEO
I consider you part of our United family and your safety remains our highest priority.
We are in the business of serving people and in the midst of this coronavirus outbreak it's important that we give you as much flexibility as possible when planning your next trip. But it's also important that we give you as much information as possible about the procedures we follow to clean our aircraft and maintain a sanitary environment once we're in the air.
Our teams are in daily contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), federal agencies and other global health organizations to share the most up-to-the-minute information to ensure the actions we're taking are comprehensive and appropriate.
So today, I wanted to personally reach out and share a few of the steps we are taking for you, our customer:
Before you fly
To give you the greatest flexibility, when you book any flight with us now through March 31, you can change it for free over the next 12 months – any ticket, any fare type, any destination.
On the ground
Our team of in-house medical experts and industrial hygienists oversee our aircraft cleaning procedures to ensure they meet or exceed all CDC guidelines. Hard surfaces such as lavatories, tray tables, window shades and armrests are thoroughly wiped down with a high-grade disinfectant and multi-purpose cleaner. And when we are advised by the CDC of a person who has traveled on board and is potentially exhibiting coronavirus symptoms, that aircraft is taken out of service and sent through a full decontamination process that includes our standard cleaning procedures plus washing ceilings and overhead bins and scrubbing the interior.
In the air
Our aircraft are equipped with state-of-the-art circulation systems, similar to those found in hospitals, which use a high-efficiency (HEPA) filter to circulate the air and remove more than 99% of airborne particles. We're also adjusting our inflight service to limit person-to-person contamination. This includes handing beverages directly to customers instead of allowing customers to touch a tray and ensuring all flight attendants wear gloves during service.
More information on each of these efforts can be found on the United Hub.
I know I speak for every member of our United family when I say that we take the greatest pride in the role we play in the lives of our customers, personally and professionally.
I want you to know that you can continue to rely on us. So, the next time we have the privilege of welcoming you aboard our aircraft, you can know our commitment to you remains as steadfast as ever.
Kind regards,
Oscar Munoz
CEO
Dear -------
As a MileagePlus Premier® member, you are one of our most loyal customers, and I wanted to reach out to you personally to share the steps we are taking in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, including how it pertains to your Premier status.
By now, you also should have received an email from our CEO, Oscar Munoz, outlining all the steps we are taking to ensure the safety of our customers and employees when they travel on our aircraft.
We know customers are looking for more flexibility as they make their travel plans right now, and that's why when you book a flight with us between March 3 and March 31, 2020, you can change it for free over the next 12 months. You can read more details by visiting the United Hub.
We've made changes to our international and domestic schedules, and those reductions — combined with your own corporate travel policies and personal travel choices — may impact some of your flying activity in the near-term. And we appreciate that some of our members are concerned about retaining and earning the status levels they anticipated prior to the coronavirus outbreak.
At this time, we are not planning any changes for our 2021 Premier program but we will continue to evaluate our options as we learn more about how the current climate is affecting members' activity. In the interim though, we do plan to give members who are participating in a MileagePlus 2020 Premier Status Match Challenge promotion an additional 30 days to complete their challenge. This extension will automatically be reflected in member accounts within the next week.
I will stay in touch to keep you aware of any further decisions or adjustments and, as always, want to thank you for your continued relationship, and for your loyalty to United. At times like this, we are especially grateful for the strength of our MileagePlus member community and the strong bonds that we have built together. I look forward to seeing many of you on board throughout the year.
Safe travels,
Luc Bondar
Vice President, Loyalty and President of MileagePlus
United Airlines
As a MileagePlus Premier® member, you are one of our most loyal customers, and I wanted to reach out to you personally to share the steps we are taking in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, including how it pertains to your Premier status.
By now, you also should have received an email from our CEO, Oscar Munoz, outlining all the steps we are taking to ensure the safety of our customers and employees when they travel on our aircraft.
We know customers are looking for more flexibility as they make their travel plans right now, and that's why when you book a flight with us between March 3 and March 31, 2020, you can change it for free over the next 12 months. You can read more details by visiting the United Hub.
We've made changes to our international and domestic schedules, and those reductions — combined with your own corporate travel policies and personal travel choices — may impact some of your flying activity in the near-term. And we appreciate that some of our members are concerned about retaining and earning the status levels they anticipated prior to the coronavirus outbreak.
At this time, we are not planning any changes for our 2021 Premier program but we will continue to evaluate our options as we learn more about how the current climate is affecting members' activity. In the interim though, we do plan to give members who are participating in a MileagePlus 2020 Premier Status Match Challenge promotion an additional 30 days to complete their challenge. This extension will automatically be reflected in member accounts within the next week.
I will stay in touch to keep you aware of any further decisions or adjustments and, as always, want to thank you for your continued relationship, and for your loyalty to United. At times like this, we are especially grateful for the strength of our MileagePlus member community and the strong bonds that we have built together. I look forward to seeing many of you on board throughout the year.
Safe travels,
Luc BondarVice President, Loyalty and President of MileagePlus
United Airlines
I hope this note finds you and your loved ones healthy and well.
It is safe to say these past weeks have been among some of the most tumultuous and emotional that any of us can remember in our lifetimes. The impact of the coronavirus outbreak has been felt by individuals and families, companies and communities, across the United States and around the world.
The response to this crisis has been extraordinary; as much for what it has required from our society as for what it has revealed of us as a people.
Far from causing division and discord, this crisis and the social distancing it has required, has allowed us to witness something profound and moving about ourselves: our fond and deeply felt wish to be connected with one another.
The role of connector is one we're privileged to play in the moments that matter most in your life – weddings and graduations, birthdays and business trips, events large and small – and it's that responsibility that motivates us most to get back to our regular service, as soon as possible.
That is why it is so important our government acted on a comprehensive relief act to ensure our airline – and our industry – are ready and able to serve you again when this crisis abates.
I want to relay to you, in as deeply personal a way I can, the heartfelt appreciation of my 100,000 United team members and their families for this vital public assistance to keep America and United flying for you.
This support will save jobs in our business and many others. And it allows us time to make decisions about the future of our airline to ensure that we can offer you the service you deserve and have come to expect as our customers.
While consumer demand has fallen, we have seen the need for our service and capabilities shifted. And, we've adapted to help meet those needs.
Right now, aircraft flying the United livery and insignia, flown by our aviation professionals, have been repurposed to deliver vital medical supplies and goods to some of the places that need it most. We're also using several of our idle widebody aircraft to use as dedicated charter cargo flights, at least 40 times per week, to transfer freight to and from U.S. locations as well as to key international business locations. At the same time, we are working in concert with the U.S. State Department to bring stranded Americans who are trying to return home back to their loved ones.
While much remains uncertain right now, one thing is for sure: this crisis will pass. Our nation and communities will recover and United will return to service you, our customers. When that happens, we want you to fly United with even greater pride because of the actions we took on behalf of our customers, our employees and everyone we serve.
Stay safe and be well,
[img]data:[/img] Oscar Munoz
CEO
Dear ----,
As we all adjust to this new normal, my thoughts are with you and your families and I hope you're staying safe and healthy. The last several weeks have been emotional and trying for all of us, but I continue to be inspired by the goodness in people and the genuine acts of kindness, large and small, that I see every day. These gestures of warmth, strength and caring give me the confidence that in time, we will emerge more United Together than ever before.
It's in that spirit that I wanted to share with you some good news about what the 100,000 family members of United Airlines have been doing for you as we tackle the biggest and most disruptive crisis we've faced in our 94‑year history.
Good news as you're making travel plans
Life is unpredictable in lots of ways right now. We know many of you started the year planning to fly with us to visit family, go to a game or concert, attend a trade show or just get away. And you might be feeling anxious about what to do about your upcoming travel plans. That's why we've waived the fees to change or cancel any trip with us through the end of 2020, including travel that was already planned as well as trips that you're hoping to take in the future. Every customer now has until May 31 to make changes to current reservations or book new flights that can be changed or canceled without a fee, and you'll be able to reschedule your trip for anytime in the next 12 months. So take the next few weeks and do what's best for you, your family and your work.
Good news for when you choose to fly
Safety has always been our top priority, and because of that, the social distancing and cleaning procedures that have become a way of life for all of us are now staples of the way we run our airline. When you're ready to fly, you'll see that a lot has changed at the airport and on board our aircraft. We're boarding fewer customers at a time and starting from the back of the plane to avoid crowding in the gate area, on the jet bridge and in the aisle. We're automatically blocking middle seats to give you enough space on board, requiring all our employees on board, including our flight attendants, to wear masks and, in early May, making masks available to our customers. Of course, these measures are in addition to our state‑of‑the‑art sanitization procedures like cleaning our aircraft with electrostatic sprayers, and extra precautions like taking our employees' temperatures before they start work to protect the well‑being of our customers and colleagues. Find a complete overview of what's changed at United to adapt to this new normal.
Good news for our communities
While we wait to welcome you back, we've been using our time and resources to do our part and support those on the frontlines of this crisis as well as the millions of families who have been affected by the most dramatic disruption of the labor market since the Great Depression. Leveraging the full power of our airline to do the right thing, we've flown more than 1,000 medical volunteers for free; donated 170,000 pounds of food; and used our fleet to get close to 20,000 stranded people home and medical supplies to the places that need them most. Here are just a few examples of how we're contributing in the fight against COVID‑19:
I'll end where I started: I hope you and your family continue to be well. This crisis has revealed a great deal about who we are as people and I'm moved by your continued resilience and resolve. We look forward to welcoming you the next time you take to the friendly skies.
Stay safe and be well,
Toby Enqvist
Chief Customer Officer
United Airlines
As we all adjust to this new normal, my thoughts are with you and your families and I hope you're staying safe and healthy. The last several weeks have been emotional and trying for all of us, but I continue to be inspired by the goodness in people and the genuine acts of kindness, large and small, that I see every day. These gestures of warmth, strength and caring give me the confidence that in time, we will emerge more United Together than ever before.
It's in that spirit that I wanted to share with you some good news about what the 100,000 family members of United Airlines have been doing for you as we tackle the biggest and most disruptive crisis we've faced in our 94‑year history.
Good news as you're making travel plans
Life is unpredictable in lots of ways right now. We know many of you started the year planning to fly with us to visit family, go to a game or concert, attend a trade show or just get away. And you might be feeling anxious about what to do about your upcoming travel plans. That's why we've waived the fees to change or cancel any trip with us through the end of 2020, including travel that was already planned as well as trips that you're hoping to take in the future. Every customer now has until May 31 to make changes to current reservations or book new flights that can be changed or canceled without a fee, and you'll be able to reschedule your trip for anytime in the next 12 months. So take the next few weeks and do what's best for you, your family and your work.
Good news for when you choose to fly
Safety has always been our top priority, and because of that, the social distancing and cleaning procedures that have become a way of life for all of us are now staples of the way we run our airline. When you're ready to fly, you'll see that a lot has changed at the airport and on board our aircraft. We're boarding fewer customers at a time and starting from the back of the plane to avoid crowding in the gate area, on the jet bridge and in the aisle. We're automatically blocking middle seats to give you enough space on board, requiring all our employees on board, including our flight attendants, to wear masks and, in early May, making masks available to our customers. Of course, these measures are in addition to our state‑of‑the‑art sanitization procedures like cleaning our aircraft with electrostatic sprayers, and extra precautions like taking our employees' temperatures before they start work to protect the well‑being of our customers and colleagues. Find a complete overview of what's changed at United to adapt to this new normal.
Good news for our communities
While we wait to welcome you back, we've been using our time and resources to do our part and support those on the frontlines of this crisis as well as the millions of families who have been affected by the most dramatic disruption of the labor market since the Great Depression. Leveraging the full power of our airline to do the right thing, we've flown more than 1,000 medical volunteers for free; donated 170,000 pounds of food; and used our fleet to get close to 20,000 stranded people home and medical supplies to the places that need them most. Here are just a few examples of how we're contributing in the fight against COVID‑19:
I'll end where I started: I hope you and your family continue to be well. This crisis has revealed a great deal about who we are as people and I'm moved by your continued resilience and resolve. We look forward to welcoming you the next time you take to the friendly skies.
Stay safe and be well,
Toby Enqvist
Chief Customer Officer
United Airlines
COVID19 / Letters from UA Management to customers -- New message 30 April 2020
Mar 7, 2020, 2:54 pm
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,969
I work for a company which really values / needs good customer relationship and a lot of the disputes ends up "give the customer what they want". So, we try to be proactive because a lot of the time, their problem ends up being our problem.
So, if these people make the trip, come down with Covid-19 and UA has to quarantine the crews, deep clean the planes + bad publicity, it ends up being a UA problem. As an industry, I think they are better off letting people stay home, help get this under control and have people come back sooner rather than later.
Mar 7, 2020, 2:56 pm
#32
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: Amtrak Guest Rewards, SPG Gold, United 1K, Hilton Diamond, Diamond Golden Circle
Posts: 158
Mar 7, 2020, 2:56 pm
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: أمريكا
Posts: 26,763
I just got this one too...
I wonder if they go through any internal debates on "fewer elites, less cost" vs. "got to keep them and not lose them to other airlines" when they make the decision.
I guess the bright side is fuel price is dropping but sooner or later, I guess they will have to find other ways to save money.
I wonder if they go through any internal debates on "fewer elites, less cost" vs. "got to keep them and not lose them to other airlines" when they make the decision.
I guess the bright side is fuel price is dropping but sooner or later, I guess they will have to find other ways to save money.
Mar 7, 2020, 3:03 pm
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,055
they are not saying that anywhere, do they? They are saying if you are currently in a timed status situation we'll give you more time now. If you are not, then we'll wait and see how this thing evolves and then we'll decide what might be a good course of action. Sounds imminently sensible to me.
Mar 7, 2020, 3:04 pm
#35
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: UA1K | *A Gold
Posts: 767
Pretty poor form by United to not protect their elderly/immune suppressed customers who are most at risk in this situation with a full waiver (full refund / cancellation) of bookings made before 3/1. The most at risk people should not be traveling right now, and UA should be doing everything to protect their customers.
I just got this one too...
I wonder if they go through any internal debates on "fewer elites, less cost" vs. "got to keep them and not lose them to other airlines" when they make the decision.
I guess the bright side is fuel price is dropping but sooner or later, I guess they will have to find other ways to save money.
I wonder if they go through any internal debates on "fewer elites, less cost" vs. "got to keep them and not lose them to other airlines" when they make the decision.
I guess the bright side is fuel price is dropping but sooner or later, I guess they will have to find other ways to save money.
They're probably still looking at Kirby's Gemini data and thinking this is a good idea, even though gemini is probably broken because covid-19.
Mar 7, 2020, 3:10 pm
#36
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: Amtrak Guest Rewards, SPG Gold, United 1K, Hilton Diamond, Diamond Golden Circle
Posts: 158
A waiver for these specific clients isn't going to bankrupt a big company, but will show proactive leadership during a crisis.
Mar 7, 2020, 3:21 pm
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,854
Yes, there are policies that allow for cancellation for any reason, but those are presumably very expensive and a healthy senior probably wouldn’t have thought that it was necessary to buy one due to the potential of a pandemic when she booked her trip last October.
On the other hand, I understand that the airlines are hurting and are more interested in attracting new money than to accommodate travelers’ fears when they booked months ago... anecdotally, Delta agents seem to be flexible, though, so it might be worth asking for a travel credit even if a trip isn’t formally covered by the terms of a waiver.
Also, schedule changes due to massive flight reductions would presumably allow for a refund. Lufthansa’s 50% schedule reduction won’t be the last one we will see.
Mar 7, 2020, 3:26 pm
#38
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: St. Louis, MO, USA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Gold Elite, Lowly kettle across every other loyalty program.
Posts: 778
OTOH, I've had a conference canceled, tickets bought in November. No problem getting a refund to the original CC.
Mar 7, 2020, 3:26 pm
#39
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: UA1K | *A Gold
Posts: 767
In all fairness, I'm pretty sure they'd waive the fee if you had a medical condition, doctor's note, or are elderly.
Don't those usually cover medical related cancellations? I'm assuming a letter from a doctor advising against travel would cover it?
Mar 7, 2020, 3:32 pm
#41
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: Amtrak Guest Rewards, SPG Gold, United 1K, Hilton Diamond, Diamond Golden Circle
Posts: 158
Mar 7, 2020, 5:59 pm
#42
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 11,468
Message to UA Premier Members re corona virus situation
"Dear cesco.g,
As a MileagePlus Premier® member, you are one of our most loyal customers, and I wanted to reach out to you personally to share the steps we are taking in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, including how it pertains to your Premier status.
By now, you also should have received an email from our CEO, Oscar Munoz, outlining all the steps we are taking to ensure the safety of our customers and employees when they travel on our aircraft.
We know customers are looking for more flexibility as they make their travel plans right now, and that's why when you book a flight with us between March 3 and March 31, 2020, you can change it for free over the next 12 months. You can read more details by visiting the United Hub.
We've made changes to our international and domestic schedules, and those reductions — combined with your own corporate travel policies and personal travel choices — may impact some of your flying activity in the near-term. And we appreciate that some of our members are concerned about retaining and earning the status levels they anticipated prior to the coronavirus outbreak.
At this time, we are not planning any changes for our 2021 Premier program but we will continue to evaluate our options as we learn more about how the current climate is affecting members' activity. In the interim though, we do plan to give members who are participating in a MileagePlus 2020 Premier Status Match Challenge promotion an additional 30 days to complete their challenge. This extension will automatically be reflected in member accounts within the next week.
I will stay in touch to keep you aware of any further decisions or adjustments and, as always, want to thank you for your continued relationship, and for your loyalty to United. At times like this, we are especially grateful for the strength of our MileagePlus member community and the strong bonds that we have built together. I look forward to seeing many of you on board throughout the year.
Safe travels, Luc Bondar
Vice President, Loyalty and President of MileagePlus
United Airlines
As a MileagePlus Premier® member, you are one of our most loyal customers, and I wanted to reach out to you personally to share the steps we are taking in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, including how it pertains to your Premier status.
By now, you also should have received an email from our CEO, Oscar Munoz, outlining all the steps we are taking to ensure the safety of our customers and employees when they travel on our aircraft.
We know customers are looking for more flexibility as they make their travel plans right now, and that's why when you book a flight with us between March 3 and March 31, 2020, you can change it for free over the next 12 months. You can read more details by visiting the United Hub.
We've made changes to our international and domestic schedules, and those reductions — combined with your own corporate travel policies and personal travel choices — may impact some of your flying activity in the near-term. And we appreciate that some of our members are concerned about retaining and earning the status levels they anticipated prior to the coronavirus outbreak.
At this time, we are not planning any changes for our 2021 Premier program but we will continue to evaluate our options as we learn more about how the current climate is affecting members' activity. In the interim though, we do plan to give members who are participating in a MileagePlus 2020 Premier Status Match Challenge promotion an additional 30 days to complete their challenge. This extension will automatically be reflected in member accounts within the next week.
I will stay in touch to keep you aware of any further decisions or adjustments and, as always, want to thank you for your continued relationship, and for your loyalty to United. At times like this, we are especially grateful for the strength of our MileagePlus member community and the strong bonds that we have built together. I look forward to seeing many of you on board throughout the year.
Safe travels,
Luc BondarVice President, Loyalty and President of MileagePlus
United Airlines
Mar 7, 2020, 6:37 pm
#43
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Haze gray and underway
Programs: UA 1K 2MM, HH Diamond, Marriott 'clink clink' Titanium
Posts: 1,784
I’m sure that the Covid-19 virus is a dangerous virus. But let’s put a little perspective to this show. There are a few deadly illnesses out here right now most of them have a higher death rate. In the course of my travels I’ve been exposed to a lot of them and treated for a couple of them too. So pardon me if I decide to not get hysterical over a flu like illness that has easily implemented prevention actions.
Mar 7, 2020, 6:39 pm
#44
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: SkyPesos -> MVP Gold 100K
Posts: 680
2 Canadian insurance companies stop covering coronavirus-related trip cancellations
Two major Canadian travel insurance providers — Manulife and TuGo — will no longer reimburse new customers who need to cancel their trips due to the coronavirus outbreak.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/cor...486117?cmp=rss
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/cor...486117?cmp=rss
Mar 7, 2020, 6:54 pm
#45
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: CT/NY
Programs: UA 1K/1MM, AA EXP, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 6,020
Also, UA already has a standard medical waiver in place if one becomes too sick to travel.
Last edited by PTahCha; Mar 7, 2020 at 6:57 pm Reason: Adding medical waiver