Pilots Say "Flip-Flop" Another Sign Management Has Not A
Clue
In response to a number of complaints following its
announcement last month of plans to charge travelers -- even
business class passengers -- for meals onboard trans-Atlantic
flights, on Tuesday beleaguered United Airlines quietly retracted
the controversial plan, and said it will continue serving
complimentary hot meals on its longest routes.
United spokesperson Robin Urbanski -- who has a job we'd not
wish on our worst enemies right now -- said the reversal came in
response to "candid feedback" from customers, in a statement to
Bloomberg.
As ANN reported, United had planned to charge
$6 for snack boxes and $9 for salads and sandwiches (read, no more
hot meals) in coach on flights from Dulles to Europe starting
October 1.
The move was likely a trial balloon, that United had hoped other
airlines would pick up on... but when no other US airlines followed
the airline down that particular road to low customer-service
ratings, the airline was forced to step back, first announcing that
United Business fliers wouldn't have to pay
for the downsized meal service after all.
But that wasn't enough. Urbanski conceded fliers vehemently
protested not just the airline's plans to charge them for food...
but also the fact the food they'd now have to pay for would be
cold. The struggling airline said it will still end hot meal
service for business-class customers on longer domestic flights,
replacing them with cold food service. And coach-class passengers
will still be stuck with paying for snacks on all flights longer
than two hours.
Not surprisingly, United's pilots union --
which criticized the airline's plans to charge for
meals -- also found reason to complain with United's
capitulation, calling it yet another sign United CEO Glenn Tilton
is woefully inept in his current role.
"(United CEO) Glenn Tilton once again demonstrates an alarming
disconnect with the life's blood of our airline," said Captain
Steve Wallach, chairman of the United Chapter of the Air Line
Pilots Association. "Mr. Tilton and his executives floated this
ill-advised scheme to try to raise revenue while making service
worse for our passengers. And our passengers have made their
objections clear.
"Our passengers deserve better than to be treated as guinea pigs
by an executive who obviously lacks direction and vision," Wallach
continued. "It's time Mr. Tilton and his minions stop abusing the
goodwill of United's passengers and instead take fundamental steps
to improve service, rationalize flight schedules and eliminate
excessive perks and bonuses for executives... The evidence
continues to mount that United Airlines remains a misguided ship
under Mr. Tilton's direction."
Last month, the union created a Web site for United customers to
sign a petition, to demand the airline to rollback its recent spate
of added passenger changes.