United Airlines Apology letter from CEO

[matthewb0051]

So I'm a UAL mileage member and received the letter below from the CEO yesterday. I feel better knowing that they will no longer call the popo to drag my behind off the plane, unless I'm acting like a DB.

Dear Mr. ...

Each flight you take with us represents an important promise we make to you, our customer. It's not simply that we make sure you reach your destination safely and on time, but also that you will be treated with the highest level of service and the deepest sense of dignity and respect.

Earlier this month, we broke that trust when a passenger was forcibly removed from one of our planes. We can never say we are sorry enough for what occurred, but we also know meaningful actions will speak louder than words.

For the past several weeks, we have been urgently working to answer two questions: How did this happen, and how can we do our best to ensure this never happens again?

It happened because our corporate policies were placed ahead of our shared values. Our procedures got in the way of our employees doing what they know is right.

Fixing that problem starts now with changing how we fly, serve and respect our customers. This is a turning point for all of us here at United – and as CEO, it's my responsibility to make sure that we learn from this experience and redouble our efforts to put our customers at the center of everything we do.

That’s why we announced that we will no longer ask law enforcement to remove customers from a flight and customers will not be required to give up their seat once on board – except in matters of safety or security.

We also know that despite our best efforts, when things don’t go the way they should, we need to be there for you to make things right. There are several new ways we’re going to do just that.

We will increase incentives for voluntary rebooking up to $10,000 and will be eliminating the red tape on permanently lost bags with a new "no-questions-asked" $1,500 reimbursement policy. We will also be rolling out a new app for our employees that will enable them to provide on-the-spot goodwill gestures in the form of miles, travel credit and other amenities when your experience with us misses the mark. You can learn more about these commitments and many other changes at hub.united.com.

While these actions are important, I have found myself reflecting more broadly on the role we play and the responsibilities we have to you and the communities we serve.

I believe we must go further in redefining what United's corporate citizenship looks like in our society. You can and ought to expect more from us, and we intend to live up to those higher expectations in the way we embody social responsibility and civic leadership everywhere we operate. I hope you will see that pledge express itself in our actions going forward, of which these initial, though important, changes are merely a first step.

Our goal should be nothing less than to make you truly proud to say, "I fly United."

Ultimately, the measure of our success is your satisfaction and the past several weeks have moved us to go further than ever before in elevating your experience with us. I know our 87,000 employees have taken this message to heart, and they are as energized as ever to fulfill our promise to serve you better with each flight and earn the trust you’ve given us.

We are working harder than ever for the privilege to serve you and I know we will be stronger, better and the customer-focused airline you expect and deserve.

With Great Gratitude,
Oscar Munoz
Oscar Munoz
CEO
United Airlines

[masraum]

I got the same thing. They'll have to make some pretty big changes to get out of the proverbial dog house.

[island911]

Originally Posted by masraum

I got the same thing. They'll have to make some pretty big changes to get out of the proverbial dog house.

was that one incident not unusual? ...an outlier?

[legion]

I don't see any meaningful changes being made by the airline industry until passenger traffic starts falling off. Right now they will make a few promises and go back to business as usual. Meanwhile, from the second I walk into an airport to the second I walk out of one at my destination, my civil rights are suspended and whether I am sexually assaulted, photographed naked, arrested, detained, beat up, or even make it to my destination is subject to the whims of hundreds of government and airline employees along the way, none of which are particularly interested in treating me like a human and all of which know they have power over me in an unequal relationship.

Or, I can take a few extra hours to drive with my civil rights intact. I can eat and pee when I want to. No one will rip me from my car to make room for someone more important. It even costs less.

As flying has gotten more oppressive over the years, I've found myself doing it less and less. At this point, I haven't flown in 3 years and haven't bought a ticket myself in 7 years. When faced with the prospect of dealing with airline @$$holes or making time to drive, I seem to always be able to make time.

[red-beard]

Chris,

If it is under 6 hours, I'm probably driving.

The issue, more than anything else, is air planes are now sky buses. People expect to fly from NY to LA for $300 and if they pay more, they are getting ripped off. My sister complains like this every time she flies.

As far as the "Theater" that is TSA, that is unfortunate. It makes the sheep feel better, without actually increasing safety. The fact that we've created ANOTHER agency with police power that are basically unaccountable for what they do. You know and I know the searches are unconstitutional, but MOST of the sheep, I mean flying public, don't care.

[GH85Carrera]

I heard that more of the airlines now want you to check in and get your boarding pass one full hour BEFORE boarding. It is for the passenger's convenience of course. SO we are supposed to get to the airport in time to get strip searched, and then be at the gate a full hour before they board and maybe not get dragged off the aircraft or assaulted. Or better yet wait in on the tarmac for hours waiting to take off.

[legion]

The cutover for me between driving and flying is more like 20 hours of driving. Whether I fly or dive, I essentially spend a day travelling either way. Why not be in control and have civil rights when I do it?

I still have several sets of metal wings from flying as a kid. Remember those? Remember when airlines treated passengers like they wanted to have them onboard? I flew a lot as a kid. My kids have never been on an airplane. I'm thinking of going to California for vacation in the next few years, and I'll probably rent a motorhome (which is WAY more expensive than flying).

[cairns]

I got the same thing. They'll have to make some pretty big changes to get out of the proverbial dog house.

Same here. I've listened to their CEO's lip service for decades while their real service has gotten progressively worse.

Although they're the dominant airline at my home airport (IAD) we've been taking American and others a lot more often. Too many unexplained delays, seat assignments that mean nothing, grouchy crews that disappear once the (frequently bad) food is served, and international service that lags behind virtually every other airline when it comes to soft and hard product.

AA does a much better job esp. on food. You can pick your meals out before you get on board, they use the FEBO system for serving, (from the front on even numbered flights, back on odd) instead going to every FF member based on their miles leaving you without a choice even if you paid to sit up front. (nice way to make a passenger feel second rate by asking the guy next to you what they want to eat and ignoring you).

The last time we took UAL intl was to Tokyo about a year ago. They had no soy sauce (in first class, on a flight to Tokyo???) and sushi that looked like it came from Sam's Club. The crew could have cared less.

Our return, on ANA, blew them away in EVERY area, from seat to service to food to entertainment. And no, ANA does not employ slave labor (as someone here once alluded of Emirates).

[Gogar]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I heard that more of the airlines now want you to check in and get your boarding pass one full hour BEFORE boarding. It is for the passenger's convenience of course. SO we are supposed to get to the airport in time to get strip searched, and then be at the gate a full hour before they board and maybe not get dragged off the aircraft or assaulted. Or better yet wait in on the tarmac for hours waiting to take off.

You are mad for no reason. Print out a boarding pass 24 hours before your flight, at home. Generate one on the app in your phone.

Who waits to get to the airport to get a boarding pass? Nobody, that's who.

[cairns]

You are mad for no reason. Print out a boarding pass 24 hours before your flight, at home. Generate one on the app in your phone.

Who waits to get to the airport to get a boarding pass? Nobody, that's who.

mmmm...many airlines have you wait until the day of your flight (midnight) before allowing you to print a boarding pass (SW is a perfect example) and some will give your seat away if you haven't checked in an hour before your flight. Although it can be done ahead of time the vast majority of people still get their boarding passes at the airport...and many people still have to check their luggage.

[ossiblue]

Dr. Dao and United Airlines have reached a settlement. Both sides are said to be pleased with the agreement and, naturally, no details will be released regarding the amount. Dao's attorney stated that Dao will "not sue anyone" regarding the incident which includes the security officers involved in the incident. Some observers do not think the amount reaches seven digits, but no one will ever know. United is being praised for the rapid settling after the disastrous initial response to the incident.

[cantdrv55]

Originally Posted by Gogar

You are mad for no reason. Print out a boarding pass 24 hours before your flight, at home. Generate one on the app in your phone.

Who waits to get to the airport to get a boarding pass? Nobody, that's who.

I do but I fly Southwest twice a week and their kiosks are easy to use plus plentiful.

[matthewb0051]

Originally Posted by cairns

Same here. I've listened to their CEO's lip service for decades while their real service has gotten progressively worse.

Too many unexplained delays, seat assignments that mean nothing, grouchy crews that disappear once the (frequently bad) food is served,
.

I was on a flight from DCA to SAT a few years ago, booked and paid for 1st Class. United Airlines. The flights were delayed to a point that the connection would be lost.

I went to the service desk and the guy treated me like crap until I asked him if my cabin of service would be the same on the recommended change. When he learned I was in 1st Class his demeanor and treatment of me changed 180 degrees. BUT they offered no plan to get me from Reagan National to Dulles. That was totally on me I was told. So I paid my way.

Then it got worse, to an extent. My original flight was to be a large aircraft with much better room, seats in 1st. At Dulles I got on a regional jet where 1st and coach are indistinguishable.

The flight attendant comes to me when I boarded and asked if I would like something to drink. Yes, certainly I will have a bourbon. She returns to me slightly wounded and informs me that they had not been serviced with alcohol by ground service. Dry flight.

Every other 1st passenger asked the same and got the same response. It was truly a pitiful thing and they could not have cared less.

While I was taking a nap she placed the box of food in my lap that was gratis in 1st. Whoopie, I got a box of crackers and cheese.

But I got a thank you at the cabin door upon deplaning as though that made it all better...

[BE911SC]

Originally Posted by legion

make a few promises and go back to business as usual.

Standard business practice. Talk is cheap.

[vash]

i might be one of maybe 10 people not following the story. it was all my dentist wanted to talk about.

did anyone get fired?

[unclebilly]

I flew 4 flights with united this week.

Here is my experience:

At the automated check in terminal, one of the first questions, is "Are you willing to change your flight to a later flight?" I think this is new.

The flight attendants were much more friendly than I had ever experienced on United (with the exception of one).

On the first leg of my return trip yesterday, the plane left the terminal 31 minutes behind schedule. I asked the flight attendant, why we were leaving late (wanted to get it direct from her as opposed to the customer service folks because I knew my connection in SFO was now going to be really tight. She told me that SFO traffic control delayed the departure from Bakersfield and that sometimes the delay is over an hour. She also told me that there was no way I would miss my connection and was a bit of a ***** about it.

At SFO, it took them forever to get my bag checked luggage (airport, not united) and if I didn't run to the next gate, I would have missed my connection. Literally I got there with maybe 30 seconds to spare.

On the plane, the flight attendants were awesome and comp'd me a beer (I didn't have time to get anything to eat at SFO and was absolutely starved).

Would I fly United again? Yup based on this past week's experience they were fine. They still wouldnt be my first choice.

I will post some interesting stuff from their Hemisphere magazine in the other thread later.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I heard that more of the airlines now want you to check in and get your boarding pass one full hour BEFORE boarding. It is for the passenger's convenience of course. SO we are supposed to get to the airport in time to get strip searched, and then be at the gate a full hour before they board and maybe not get dragged off the aircraft or assaulted. Or better yet wait in on the tarmac for hours waiting to take off.

The problem is the wankers that get to the airport 15 mins before their flight and expect security to give them priority so they don't miss their plane, and the gate to hold the plane while they run (or get a golf cart) to the gate, etc.... For every inconvenience from the airports, airport security and airlines (remember, those are different entities) there are probably as many from morons that cause the airlines and airports to initiate stupid new rules.

[unclebilly]

Originally Posted by masraum

The problem is the wankers that get to the airport 15 mins before their flight and expect security to give them priority so they don't miss their plane, and the gate to hold the plane while they run (or get a golf cart) to the gate, etc.... For every inconvenience from the airports, airport security and airlines (remember, those are different entities) there are probably as many from morons that cause the airlines and airports to initiate stupid new rules.

Arriving less than an hour before flight is OK if you have a trusted traveller card or are TSA prescreened. These are well worth the $40 for the time saved waiting in line behind Maybelle and Jimbob who don't fly much and take for ever at security...

[masraum]

Originally Posted by legion

The cutover for me between driving and flying is more like 20 hours of driving. Whether I fly or dive, I essentially spend a day travelling either way. Why not be in control and have civil rights when I do it?

I still have several sets of metal wings from flying as a kid. Remember those? Remember when airlines treated passengers like they wanted to have them onboard? I flew a lot as a kid. My kids have never been on an airplane. I'm thinking of going to California for vacation in the next few years, and I'll probably rent a motorhome (which is WAY more expensive than flying).

I just don't get that. Maybe it's because I live near a major hub. If I wanted to drive to my mother's place, it would take 16-18 hours. The flight is about 3 if I go non-stop on United or 5 if I have a stop on Delta but get to an airport that's 45 mins closer. All in all, I can be at mom's early afternoon, feet propped up enjoying her company if I fly. If I drove, I would roll in exhausted at night (probably at or after her usual bedtime. Yeah, just doesn't make sense for me unless the drive is <5-6 hours (and I'm going to need a car when I arrive).

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I heard that more of the airlines now want you to check in and get your boarding pass one full hour BEFORE boarding. It is for the passenger's convenience of course. SO we are supposed to get to the airport in time to get strip searched, and then be at the gate a full hour before they board and maybe not get dragged off the aircraft or assaulted. Or better yet wait in on the tarmac for hours waiting to take off.

Are you sure it's the airlines who want you in the boarding area an hour ahead of time? I can't imagine why it means anything to them. I think it is at the behest of the vendors in the area. They want to keep hungry, thirsty customers near their doors longer.