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Is United Airlines really that bad?
It's true that United receives a lot of customer complaints. But it is important to put those complaints in context, and recognise that United is not uniquely bad. For the past few years, independent rankings such as those compiled by Consumer Reports tell a mostly consistent story about the American airline industry. There are a few decent airlines, which also happen to be relatively small (Virgin, Southwest, JetBlue, Hawaiian and Alaskan). American, US Airways and United are… (www.economist.com) Plus d'info...
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I just have always felt like that the biggest mistake made in this deal was to move corporate up North to Chicago out of Houston. Not being there, it is all outside looking in but Continental was going gangbusters and reorganized into something special. As it went to Chitown, it lost a big part of that management tem and what did go was overwhelmed by a bunch of losers. The merger is finally starting to work but it seems to be a couple of years behind schedule and the labor trouble is still out there, particularly with the FA's. Kinda stupid for 1 to be laying off and 1 to be hiring. Merge or not, crap like that should be ironed out ahead of time and say here it is, take it or leave it. Nobody has the guts these days to call the unions bluff.
Without Unions major airlines would pay poverty level wages just like Walmart or McDonalds. Would passengers feel very comfortable knowing the mechanic that worked on the jet they are riding on has to get food stamps and welfare to feed and house themselves.
Wal-Mart and McDonalds needs very few skilled workers, and far and away most people have entry level jobs that should be worked by those just starting out, and not in need nor has earned the right to upscale housing, a German car, and gourmet meals.
Airlines on the other hand have few unskilled positions. There are reasons American iron is not the best way to fly, and it has little to do with compensation. It is managements lack of control of the factors of production that produces a less than desirable passenger experience.
If low level managers worked the people they have properly, trained them in the art and science of service, and did away with the petty cash demands for this, that, and the other the long lines would vanish, the Kabuki theater would close (TSA), and people would plop in their seats with a smile on their face, heck they might even shower, swab their choppers, and wear respectable clothing onboard. (One can dream.)
Airlines on the other hand have few unskilled positions. There are reasons American iron is not the best way to fly, and it has little to do with compensation. It is managements lack of control of the factors of production that produces a less than desirable passenger experience.
If low level managers worked the people they have properly, trained them in the art and science of service, and did away with the petty cash demands for this, that, and the other the long lines would vanish, the Kabuki theater would close (TSA), and people would plop in their seats with a smile on their face, heck they might even shower, swab their choppers, and wear respectable clothing onboard. (One can dream.)
