United Airlines eschews duct tape — could this be its redemption?

United Airlines eschews duct tape — could this be its redemption?

Ever since it broke Dave Carroll’s guitar, United Airlines has been the poster boy for doing everything possible to abuse customers in the air. Now it has finally found a niche. United vows not to duct-tape passengers to seats like other airlines. Four years ago, I wrote about companies that somehow manage to demonstrate over…

Delta Air Lines coronavirus response beats the other US airlines

Delta Air Lines coronavirus response beats the other US airlines

With the COVID-19 Coronavirus spreading, is it safe to fly? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says yes. From their site: Because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes, most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on airplanes. Although the risk of infection on an airplane is low, travelers…

United Airlines should learn that you can’t create consistency with a lottery

United Airlines should learn that you can’t create consistency with a lottery

United Airlines attempted to replace its employee bonuses with a lottery. This is a “motivational” idea so stupid that, after the employee backlash, the company had to “press pause” on it. Ironically, the plan was an attempt to encourage employees to be more consistently caring — but a plan like that shouldn’t start with random…

Comparing today’s United Airlines statements (mostly right) to what they said before (really wrong)
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Comparing today’s United Airlines statements (mostly right) to what they said before (really wrong)

Two-and-a-half weeks after dragging a passenger off a flight like a rag doll, United Airlines has released a statement about changes to its procedures and emailed all its frequent flyers. Everything they did wrong in the original statements, they’ve now done right. And the two sets of statements give me a unique opportunity to contrast effective…

United breaks passengers (and apologizes feebly)
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United breaks passengers (and apologizes feebly)

I didn’t want to write another United Airlines post, but so many of you insisted — and United’s apology is even lamer than the one from two weeks ago. On an overbooked flight from Chicago to Louisville, United Express needed space to ferry four crew members to another assignment. After an $800 bribe persuaded only two passengers…

Everything United Airlines did wrong in the Denver Leggings Incident

Everything United Airlines did wrong in the Denver Leggings Incident

When several teenage girls wearing leggings attempted to board a United Airlines flight in Denver, the airline blocked them for “inappropriate dress.” As the airline explained on Twitter, the girls were “pass riders” — dependents of employees using free standby tickets — subject to a more stringent dress code. United’s policy is wrong, and it…

One more day to vote for bullshitter of the year (tune in Feb 16 to hear who won)

One more day to vote for bullshitter of the year (tune in Feb 16 to hear who won)

I’ve received hundreds of votes for the Bullshitty Awards. I suspect I know who’s going to win. But there’s still time to vote. Voting closes on Friday, February 3 at midnight, Eastern time. Vote here. And then tune in to find out: Whose apology was least sincere, Donald Trump or Ryan Lochte? Who was the most…

United Airlines spin: awful “Basic Economy” means “more choice”
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United Airlines spin: awful “Basic Economy” means “more choice”

United Airlines announced Basic Economy, a new class of travel that lets you pay less and suffer more. In their press release, it sounds like a win for travelers, but as a frequent traveler, I predict a very different outcome. And it raises a question: where are the limits of a PR person’s job of making…