United Airlines

[mu03eng]

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).

I'm 6'4" and I don't have any problem with leg room or at least any more than any other carrier...granted I never fly 1st class.

There definitely routes where they aren't as competitive but some routes, flying to Denver, Phoenix, or Vegas they are far better at that other carriers in my opinion.

Additionally when I'm flying SWA for personal reason it's with my wife and son and the family boarding process is ideal for us.

Bottom line, the carriers "excel" at delivering different market outcomes that will be unique to a user so we'll never agree on best airline

[JWags85]

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).

I'm amazed by business travelers who swear by Southwest.  Sometimes when you're dealing with the hassles of business travel, and flights are getting moved around or you are running late, the most comforting feeling is knowing just get there and you're fine.  Having to fight with a bunch of novice fliers for seats once boarding begins is the worst.  And those seats are rough.

Also, if you're a business flying Southwest loyalist, you need to have an alternative airline for international travel, and often the perks attained by frequent travel are best utilized for such flights.  Whether it be upgrades or standby flexibility, etc...  Most people I know who are frequent business fliers on United/Delta/American have very regular first class upgrades on their domestic flights short of routes like Chicago-NY, NY-LA, etc..  My pair of friends who fly Southwest have a bunch of drink tickets, guess its all preference.

If you're an occasional flier domestically, I totally get the appeal and draw of Southwest.  Outside of that, not so much.  And echoing a few others, when you fly often with other carriers, the occasional Southwest trip can get borderline annoying.  I fly SW to Vegas (as their rates seemingly always come in lowest) and to Dallas (as my sister lives near Love Field).  I never fail to see disagreements as people get on and begin saving seats like its a college lecture as well as plentiful people attempting to cheat the queue system.  Maybe my experiences are unique, but we're going on a half dozen of them

[warriorchick]

I'm amazed by business travelers who swear by Southwest.  Sometimes when you're dealing with the hassles of business travel, and flights are getting moved around or you are running late, the most comforting feeling is knowing just get there and you're fine.  Having to fight with a bunch of novice fliers for seats once boarding begins is the worst.  And those seats are rough.

Also, if you're a business flying Southwest loyalist, you need to have an alternative airline for international travel, and often the perks attained by frequent travel are best utilized for such flights.  Whether it be upgrades or standby flexibility, etc...  Most people I know who are frequent business fliers on United/Delta/American have very regular first class upgrades on their domestic flights short of routes like Chicago-NY, NY-LA, etc..  My pair of friends who fly Southwest have a bunch of drink tickets, guess its all preference.

If you're an occasional flier domestically, I totally get the appeal and draw of Southwest.  Outside of that, not so much.  And echoing a few others, when you fly often with other carriers, the occasional Southwest trip can get borderline annoying.  I fly SW to Vegas (as their rates seemingly always come in lowest) and to Dallas (as my sister lives near Love Field).  I never fail to see disagreements as people get on and begin saving seats like its a college lecture as well as plentiful people attempting to cheat the queue system.  Maybe my experiences are unique, but we're going on a half dozen of them

How about this one:  I have taken dozens and dozens of Southwest flights, and I can think of only one time my flight was delayed for anything  other than weather issues.  I have only been cancelled once; I was traveling back to Chicago and there was a blizzard there.  So I had to spend an extra day in Las Vegas.  Sucks to be me.

I worked for a company where a group of us had to fly to Charlotte for meetings.  I took Southwest; everyone else took legacy airlines out of O'Hare.  At least half the time, their flight back was delayed.  To rub it in, I would text them all that I had landed at Midway, while they were still sitting in the Charlotte airport on a Friday night.

Also Southwest is starting to fly internationally.  They are starting with Mexico and the Caribbean.  Also, their frequent flyer points never expire.  I am sitting on well over 100K of them right now.

[tower912]

The more you watch the video, the higher the $ total gets in the inevitable settlement.      7 figure$.

[Tugg Speedman]

[Tugg Speedman]

The more you watch the video, the higher the $ total gets in the inevitable settlement.      7 figure$.

Concussion, broken nose, lost teeth: UAL passenger's injuries
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170413/NEWS10/170419935/concussion-broken-nose-lost-teeth-ual-passengers-injuries#utm_medium=email&utm_source=ccb-breakingnews&utm_campaign=ccb-breakingnews-20170413

A lawyer for a man dragged off a United Express flight says airlines have "bullied" passengers "for a long time."

Thomas Demetrio said at a news conference today that airlines have treated us as "less than maybe we deserve."

Dr. David Dao was dragged from the airliner after he refused to give up his seat on the full flight.

Dao suffered a concussion, a broken nose, injury to sinuses that will require reconstructive surgery, and lost two front teeth, Demetrio said.

He says he "probably" will file a lawsuit on Dao's behalf. "We're not ready to sue. We're doing our due diligence," he said.

--------------

More like 8 or 9 figures and Munoz and other personnel involved in this are toast.

From the article ...

Dao's lawyers already have taken steps toward filing a lawsuit. On Wednesday they filed an emergency motion (read it below) in Cook County Circuit Court asking a judge to ensure the airline and city preserve surveillance video showing passengers boarding Flight 3411 to Louisville, Ky.

They're also seeking cockpit voice recordings, incident reports and other materials.

Munoz better pray that no one is heard making a racial remark about Dao, laughing it him,or saying anything else "embarrassing."  Because Dao's lawyer will leak this to the press and the outrage (and cost of a settlement) will rise even more.

[Pakuni]

Concussion, broken nose, lost teeth: UAL passenger's injuries
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20170413/NEWS10/170419935/concussion-broken-nose-lost-teeth-ual-passengers-injuries#utm_medium=email&utm_source=ccb-breakingnews&utm_campaign=ccb-breakingnews-20170413

A lawyer for a man dragged off a United Express flight says airlines have "bullied" passengers "for a long time."

Thomas Demetrio said at a news conference today that airlines have treated us as "less than maybe we deserve."

Dr. David Dao was dragged from the airliner after he refused to give up his seat on the full flight.

Dao suffered a concussion, a broken nose, injury to sinuses that will require reconstructive surgery, and lost two front teeth, Demetrio said.

He says he "probably" will file a lawsuit on Dao's behalf. "We're not ready to sue. We're doing our due diligence," he said.

--------------

More like 8 or 9 figures and Munoz and other personnel involved in this are toast.

From the article ...

Dao's lawyers already have taken steps toward filing a lawsuit. On Wednesday they filed an emergency motion (read it below) in Cook County Circuit Court asking a judge to ensure the airline and city preserve surveillance video showing passengers boarding Flight 3411 to Louisville, Ky.

They're also seeking cockpit voice recordings, incident reports and other materials.

Munoz better pray that no one is heard making a racial remark about Dao, laughing it him,or saying anything else "embarrassing."  Because Dao's lawyer will leak this to the press and the outrage (and cost of a settlement) will rise even more.

Anyone who thinks this guy is getting 8 - much less 9 - figures out of this is a crazy person. He might get seven, if only because United badly wants to make this go away and come off looking like less than a corporate thug.

[tower912]

I will set the over/under at $6 million and take the over.

[#UnleashSean]

All united had to do was up the ticket price for voluntary booting to 1200... Multiple people stated that they told United crew members they would take that deal. Instead united went the cheap way and now has lost way more.

[DegenerateDish]

There's no way this makes it to court.

[4everwarriors]

We're tossin' millions 'round here like der hard boiled eggs at an Easter egg hunt. Dis cat's damages don't approach deez numbers, bad press or knot.
WN's planes are filthy and cramped. Just a chitty experience all da wey 'round. Den again if yar good wit walkin' 8 blocks ta park at da BC, find sittin' in da 400 section,  and gettin' 3 drinks for $15 an tink dats livin' large, den, I guess ya ether don't no any betta orr ya wanna bee da richest person in da cemetery, ai na?

[#UnleashSean]

We're tossin' millions 'round here like der hard boiled eggs at an Easter egg hunt. Dis cat's damages don't approach deez numbers, bad press or knot.
WN's planes are filthy and cramped. Just a chitty experience all da wey 'round. Den again if yar good wit walkin' 8 blocks ta park at da BC, find sittin' in da 400 section,  and gettin' 3 drinks for $15 livin' large, den, I guess ya ether don't no any betta orr ya wanna bee da richest person in da cemetery, ai na?

How long does it take you to translate from regular english to that?

[Jay Bee]

8 figures?! Think of how many drugs & gay prostitutes he'll be able to afford!!

[Jockey]

8 figures?! Think of how many drugs & gay prostitutes he'll be able to afford!!

What does that have to do with being assaulted by trained, young thugs?

Do you believe police should have the right to assault senior citizens at will on the off-chance that the victim had an unrelated arrest at some time in their life.

It is no surprise that you are the one who defends criminal assault by police.

[JWags85]

How about this one:  I have taken dozens and dozens of Southwest flights, and I can think of only one time my flight was delayed for anything  other than weather issues.  I have only been cancelled once; I was traveling back to Chicago and there was a blizzard there.  So I had to spend an extra day in Las Vegas.  Sucks to be me.

I worked for a company where a group of us had to fly to Charlotte for meetings.  I took Southwest; everyone else took legacy airlines out of O'Hare.  At least half the time, their flight back was delayed.  To rub it in, I would text them all that I had landed at Midway, while they were still sitting in the Charlotte airport on a Friday night.

Also Southwest is starting to fly internationally.  They are starting with Mexico and the Caribbean.  Also, their frequent flyer points never expire.  I am sitting on well over 100K of them right now.

I wasn't talking about on time departures, especially since you look at the statistics and its usually no more than a percent or two difference between all of the majors.  I was talking more about the generalities of the experience.

And I have no doubt you've had a good experience with SW.  You've been vocal about it here before, I was rather saying its not the magic bullet that some people would like to make it out to be.  They have their pitfalls like every other major player in air travel.

And until Southwest starts flying to London, Asia or Buenos Aires, or partners with airlines who do, their international destinations are a moot point.  Its definitely not right around the corner.  Those long haul flights are where mileage, upgrades, and status preferred treatment really come into play.

[#UnleashSean]

8 figures?! Think of how many drugs & gay prostitutes he'll be able to afford!!

Why do you continue to bring up this guy's non violent arrest? It doesn't pertain to the situation at all.

[Jockey]

Why do you continue to bring up this guy's non violent arrest? It doesn't pertain to the situation at all.

He would support the police if they came to his home and assaulted his kids.

[mu03eng]

I wasn't talking about on time departures, especially since you look at the statistics and its usually no more than a percent or two difference between all of the majors.  I was talking more about the generalities of the experience.

And I have no doubt you've had a good experience with SW.  You've been vocal about it here before, I was rather saying its not the magic bullet that some people would like to make it out to be.  They have their pitfalls like every other major player in air travel.

And until Southwest starts flying to London, Asia or Buenos Aires, or partners with airlines who do, their international destinations are a moot point.  Its definitely not right around the corner.  Those long haul flights are where mileage, upgrades, and status preferred treatment really come into play.

On time departure stats are just about the most manipulated and abused stat there is. It's based on push back from the gate, not am I in the air on time. If I push back and sit on the tarmac for 15 minutes I'm just as on time as if I push back and in the air a minute later. Those are two very different user experiences

[rocky_warrior]

[rocky_warrior]

WN's planes are filthy and cramped. Just a chitty experience all da wey 'round.

I'll just leave this here.  And note that WN's score is better than any "traditional" carrier, plus "improving in all seven factors year over year, most notably in aircraft (+15 points) and flight crew (+12)."

http://www.jdpower.com/press-releases/2016-north-america-airline-satisfaction-study

[warriorchick]

8 figures?! Think of how many drugs & gay prostitutes he'll be able to afford!!

I don't throw the word "homophobe" around much, but you seemed to be obsessed with the fact that they were  gay encounters. Why would that make a difference?

[Jay Bee]

I don't throw the word "homophobe" around much, but you seemed to be obsessed with the fact that they were  gay encounters. Why would that make a difference?

Are you upset when people say he's Vietnamese, or a man, or a "doctor"?

[mu03eng]

Are you upset when people say he's Vietnamese, or a man, or a "doctor"?

Do any of those descriptors have any bearing on either the airline incident or his criminal incident? Does the gay descriptor have any bearing on any of those?

FYI, if your answer is yes to any of those questionsA) you're wrong B) you should examine why you are wrong

[tower912]

We're tossin' millions 'round here like der hard boiled eggs at an Easter egg hunt. Dis cat's damages don't approach deez numbers, bad press or knot.
WN's planes are filthy and cramped. Just a chitty experience all da wey 'round. Den again if yar good wit walkin' 8 blocks ta park at da BC, find sittin' in da 400 section,  and gettin' 3 drinks for $15 an tink dats livin' large, den, I guess ya ether don't no any betta orr ya wanna bee da richest person in da cemetery, ai na?

I think this translates to you taking the 'under'.

[Tugg Speedman]

Anyone who thinks this guy is getting 8 - much less 9 - figures out of this is a crazy person. He might get seven, if only because United badly wants to make this go away and come off looking like less than a corporate thug.

I hear ya but his his Lawyer Thomas Demetrio is a "super lawyer" (aka top drawer ambulance chaser) who did not take this case to settle for a "rounding error" of less than 7 figures.  Dao could get that without a lawyer talking to the airline himself. 

Demetrio listed his Lake Forest mansion for $5.9 million

http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/elitestreet/ct-elite-street-thomas-demetrio-0204-biz-2-20160128-story.html

A guy like Demetrio does not take this case because he getting less than $1,000,000.

-----

Thomas Demetrio

The National Law Journal named him one of the top ten lawyers in the nation and one of the top ten trial lawyer in Illinois and since its inception in 2005, Lawdragon has named him one of the top 500 Leading Lawyers in America. He served as the president of the Chicago Bar Association and president of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. He is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, and the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Demetrio was featured in USA Today, in the American Bar Association Journal and was the cover story in the Leading Lawyers Network Magazine the Illinois Super Lawyer Magazine. and again in the American Bar Association's April 2005 Issue "Catch A Rising Star" Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) Chicago-Kent College of Law has honored him with its Distinguished Service Award and its Professional Achievement Award. Demetrio is on the Board of Directors for Big Shoulders, the Center for Disability & Elder Law, and the Constitutional Rights Foundation. Demetrio is also an IIT Trustee.