United Airlines

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Frontier once cancelled a return flight about a week before my vacation. Ended up returning on a red eye.  The reason I was given: They were starting there fall routes that day. Would have been nice to know a few months earlier when I bought the tickets. So I will never pay to fly Frontier again.

SWA has been a good experience for me. If you're traveling with young kids make sure to ask for the plane shaped cookies.  They only hand out peanuts and pretzels otherwise.

[Babybluejeans]

Let's debunk this one once and for all:

  -- Spirit and Frontier fly point to point between generally large cities. You'll see Frontier on Denver/Milwaukee. Hell will freeze over before you see them in Fargo.

  -- Hugely profitable in the airline industry? I don't think so. No one is hugely profitable in airlines. It was once said about airlines: "Want to know how to be a millionaire? Be a billionaire and invest in airlines!"

If you want three flights a day from ORD to MCO, yeah, the ultra-low cost carriers make sense. They are uncomfortable as hell (Satan reportedly avoids them like they're a good deed or something -- he flies United these days) and their service rules really don't favor the passenger. Ever try to get your money back for any reason and... uggghhh

But keep in mind how they do it. For those of you who have a sense of business ethics, they get their low costs by hiring at the lowest possible rate, using green pilots and having a level of customer service that would make even Walmart blush with embarrassment. Ask a Spirit flight attendant what a living wage is and she might tell you enough to get out of Mom & Dad's basement. And she's probably 40!

Um, Allegiant, Spirit, and Frontier are three of the five most profitable airlines in the U.S. I didn't say they accomplished their profits ethically.

[rocket surgeon]

All this discussion about "business" travelers, and nobody's mentioned southwest.  My company loves them - no change fees/cancel fees - just rebook for whatever is most convenient.  I love them - no baggage fees, good points credit card, treat everyone with respect.  The only thing "priority" gets you is better boarding (which I do enjoy...).  But once you're on the plane, you're all one happy class of herded cattle.

They're at the top of the market cap for a GOOD reason.

Yes, they overbook too.  But I've never seen them fail to resolve that situation BEFORE boarding.

i am in full agreement here as i haven't flown anything but southwest with a few horrible exceptions(american) and only because i had no other choice.  one was my son's destination wedding to dominican republic-got there a day late and we were supposed to be there first.  and the other was... american and the pilots all called in "sick" i was supposed to be home by noon that day...try the other noon

southwest seems like luxury compared to those experiences and i fly on average about 1-2 x per month

[MU82]

United just announced it will issue refunds to all passengers on the flight.

The least they could do. No doubt, the fact that it was a small plane made this an easier decision for them.

[🏀]

All this talk of Southwest being great, they boot passengers more than any other airline.

[warriorchick]

All this talk of Southwest being great, they boot passengers more than any other airline.

Source?

[warriorchick]

i am in full agreement here as i haven't flown anything but southwest with a few horrible exceptions(american) and only because i had no other choice.  one was my son's destination wedding to dominican republic-got there a day late and we were supposed to be there first.  and the other was... american and the pilots all called in "sick" i was supposed to be home by noon that day...try the other noon

southwest seems like luxury compared to those experiences and i fly on average about 1-2 x per month

Too late for your wedding, but I am guessing you know that Southwest flies to Punta Cana now.

[rocky_warrior]

All this talk of Southwest being great, they boot passengers more than any other airline.

Source.  Plus, define "boot".  Like I mentioned, they overbook plenty.  But before boarding they announce some $ amount + the cost of your ticket + free rebooking, and usually there's a line of people signing up for that deal.  Seriously, I agreed to be "booted" once (for the cash), and they still managed to get me on the plane because they had plenty of volunteers.

Some of my friends hate southwest because they can't manage to get to their gate in time to line up for boarding.  If that's you - I get it.  But don't hate the game, hate yourself for being a slack-ass.

[GGGG]

Source.  Plus, define "boot".  Like I mentioned, they overbook plenty.  But before boarding they announce some $ amount + the cost of your ticket + free rebooking, and usually there's a line of people signing up for that deal.  Seriously, I agreed to be "booted" once (for the cash), and they still managed to get me on the plane because they had plenty of volunteers.

Some of my friends hate southwest because they can't manage to get to their gate in time to line up for boarding.  If that's you - I get it.  But don't hate the game, hate yourself for being a slack-ass.

Or a cheap ass for not buying the early bird check in for $15.

[rocky_warrior]

Or a cheap ass for not buying the early bird check in for $15.

Well, in their case they don't get to the gate on time, not even about check-in.

[warriorchick]

Or a cheap ass for not buying the early bird check in for $15.

Hey, I can buy 3 vodka and tonics onboard for that $15.

Did I mention the booze prices are extremely reasonable?  And every once in awhile they send me a book full of free drink coupons.  What's not to love about SWA?

[Pakuni]

What's not to love about SWA?

Getting to Midway from any suburb north of I-90.

[Jay Bee]

I dislike SWA. Annoying attendants and passengers.

[mu03eng]

Getting to Midway from any suburb north of I-90.

Fly outta Milwaukee then

[mu03eng]

Count me in the SWA fan club, take then whenever possible for family trips enough though I fly United more of the time for business

True story: had a flight on United from Cleveland to Milwaukee on a Thursday evening(last one out). Showed up at the airport and the plane that was going to take me to Milwaukee still hasn't left to go to DC and back....so I knew we were going to be delayed, United insisted we weren't. Long story short, we were supposed to leave at 7, got pushed back to 8, then 9 finally then a firm 10pm. Asked about crew rest:naw they'll be fine. Announcement at 930, cancelling the flight because the crew will need to rest when they get here so see you guys in the morning. All so this was easily foreseeable, so I jump on Twitter to rant about United.....they actually respond and we go back and forth and at some point I made a reference that this wouldn't have been an issue on SWA. United asks how they can make it better, I tell them miles, they say they can't do that....SWA chimes in AND GIVES ME MILES

That's customer service

[dgies9156]

  What's not to love about SWA?

No first class for one thing.

Fifteen galizzion stops to get to a smaller destination for another. It's like flying North Central back in the 1970s.

No leg room for a third (for us tall guys, SWA can be painful).

[4everwarriors]

Worst motherfookin' cattle car on da planet, hey?

[Tugg Speedman]

No first class for one thing.

Fifteen galizzion stops to get to a smaller destination for another. It's like flying North Central back in the 1970s.

No leg room for a third (for us tall guys, SWA can be painful).

And it's not cheap.  The brag they have no bag fees or change fees ... they make it up with a higher price.

[mu_hilltopper]

This blog on the subject .. got me thinking differently about the United situation.

https://thepilotwifelife.wordpress.com/2017/04/11/i-know-youre-mad-at-united-but-thoughts-from-a-pilot-wife-about-flight-3411/

[GGGG]

I was unaware making room for the flight crew was a federal regulation.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Inside this year’s rating
Below is the 2016 numerical ranking of the nation’s leading 12 airlines, according to the Airline Quality Rating, with the 2015 ranking in parentheses:
1. Alaska (5)
2. Delta (3)
3. Virgin America (1)
4. JetBlue (2)
5. Hawaiian (4)
6. Southwest (6)
7. SkyWest (7)
8. United (8)
9. American (10)
10. ExpressJet (9)
11. Spirit (13)
12. Frontier (11)

http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/stories/story.asp?si=3621

[rocky_warrior]

This blog on the subject .. got me thinking differently about the United situation.

https://thepilotwifelife.wordpress.com/2017/04/11/i-know-youre-mad-at-united-but-thoughts-from-a-pilot-wife-about-flight-3411/

Really?  It said nothing different.  Listen, if you have to ask a passenger to get off (because of a 'must ride'), and they say no, then ask another passenger.  Keep going until someone says yes.  If too many people are saying no, throw money at them.  This is the airline's problem.

Did this guy react poorly when the po-po showed up?  Yes.  But it shouldn't have gotten there.

[🏀]

Source?

Source.  Plus, define "boot".  Like I mentioned, they overbook plenty.  But before boarding they announce some $ amount + the cost of your ticket + free rebooking, and usually there's a line of people signing up for that deal.  Seriously, I agreed to be "booted" once (for the cash), and they still managed to get me on the plane because they had plenty of volunteers.

Some of my friends hate southwest because they can't manage to get to their gate in time to line up for boarding.  If that's you - I get it.  But don't hate the game, hate yourself for being a slack-ass.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/nation-now/2017/04/11/united-isnt-even-airline-most-likely-boot-you/100342202/

Here are the major airlines in the report, listed by rates of involuntary denied boardings per 10,000 passengers last year:

Southwest (.99)
JetBlue (.92)
American (.64)
Frontier(.58)
Spirit (.58)
United (.43)
Alaska (.40)
Virgin (.12)
Delta (.10)
Hawaiian (.05)

[🏀]

I don't mind flying Southwest, but I do mind going to Midway. I live slightly closer to Milwaukee, but prices usually end up flying me out of ORD.

I also don't find much a difference between Spirit/SWA/Frontier.

[Tugg Speedman]

This blog on the subject .. got me thinking differently about the United situation.

https://thepilotwifelife.wordpress.com/2017/04/11/i-know-youre-mad-at-united-but-thoughts-from-a-pilot-wife-about-flight-3411/

1) “You can’t just kick a paying customer off the plane!” Psssst! It’s in the fine print. They can, indeed, do just that. And it’s not an airline specific rule, it’s a commercial aviation rule. Every ticket you purchase comes with a plethora of fine print–you know, the stuff we just click ‘next’ on without actually reading what we are agreeing to. Yeah, that. Well, it’s in there, and you checked the ‘I agree’ box when you purchased your ticket. You can read about it and oh-so-much-more here. Kind of makes you want to read all those tiny words on your next phone update before you click ‘I agree’, huh? You should. United did not break any law, and he agreed to the policy and possibility of involuntary bump when he bought his ticket. And so do you.

She might not be correct on this.  The question is if he was already boarded (which Oscar Munoz said he was in his letter Monday) then United was incorrect to follow its "involuntary denial of boarding procedures." (their is also a question of whether they followed them correctly as well).  United should have followed its "refusal to transport" procedures.  Admittedly this is a gray area because he was already seated (boarded) and how can one be "denied" something that has already happened.  She should not be this definitive about United following the law.

Saw an argument about why Munoz did a 180.  In his Monday letter, he said "he was boarded" then went on to say United wanted to "deny him boarding."  Both cannot be true at the same time so Munoz screwed th pooch and opened United up to legal problems by defining that he was already boarded.