16 Years and 16 Trips -

If you have been watching the news the last couple of days, you will see all eyes are focused on Hurricane Irma as it tracks towards Florida and the Southeast United States.  Irma has already left death and destruction across the Caribbean and is setting up to be one of the most powerful storms to hit Florida in a generation.  Irma also comes on the heels of Hurricane Harvey that clobbered Houston and southeast Texas.  With everyone focusing on Irma, recovering from Harvey, and also witnessing the devastation from the 8.1 earthquake in Mexico, it is understandable that this Monday's 16th anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001, may take a back seat in the news and in our minds.

Employees at United Airlines are still working hard to recover from Hurricane Harvey.  Houston is United's second largest hub, in terms of the number of passengers that pass through it. Thousands of United's employees were directly impacted by Harvey.  Not only those that are based in and live in Houston, there were hundreds of pilots, flight attendants and other employees based outside of Houston that found their layovers extended as they were stranded in hotels without running water and electricity.  There were also thousands of Houston based pilot and flight attendants scattered across the globe that could not get back to their homes and families for several days. 

As soon as they were able to, United was the first airline to volunteer its planes to ferry Red Cross, and other relief workers and supplies into Houston.  Right away, United employees began lining up to volunteer their own time to ready and crew those huminitarian flights into Houston.  That first Sunday after Harvey passed through, United was able to get its first plane out, a 777, carrying stranded employees back to the Chicago hub so that they could get flights back to their own homes.  What is notable about this flight is that United's president, Oscar Munoz, was there at the gate to warmly greet and thank those employees as they walked off the plane at O'Hare.  It is sad to say, but I cannot help but feel that neither Mr. Smisek or Mr. Tilton would have made such an effort. 

Now with Irma approaching Florida, United and all the other airlines have all spent the last few days working hard to get passengers, planes and employees out of harm's way.  As I write this, I think all of the airlines have, by now, shut down their Florida operations and have began making plans to resume service once the storm clears.  It would be something to witness how airlines operations employees put these plans together.  These professionals have to figure out how to move hundreds of planes, thousands of employees, and thousands of passengers in some fashion so that service to Florida and southeastern United States gets back to normal as quickly as possible.  Irma is not going to have the impact at United Airlines that Harvey did, but it is still a tactical challenge that rivals any major military action. Delta, American, Jet Blue all have hubs and significant operations in and around Florida, just think about what they have been going through the last few days.  As I watched the news this morning, forecasters were laying out a real possibility for Irma to still be a Category 1 hurricane as it goes through southeast Georgia and into Atlanta.  Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport is the world's busiest and Delta's largest hub.  I think there are a lot of operations employees and managers at Delta right now putting in a lot of overtime figuring out how to plan for the possible closure of the Atlanta airport.  Comparing Hurricane Irma to Harvey, Irma is similar in size and strength, and officials are expecting the storm to bring deadly winds, ten to fifteen foot waves, and record amounts of rain over several days.  Of course, my prayers go out to all those are being affected by Irma, and that they are safe and remain safe until the storm passes.  

This Monday, September 11, 2017, is the sixteenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks that shocked and permanently changed our world in so many ways.  Unlike with Harvey and Irma, there was no time to prepare for what was about to happen.  In just a few minutes, four passenger jets, two from United Airlines and two from American Airlines, were commandeered by Al Qaeda terrorists.  They killed flight attendants, pilots and passengers to gain control of those planes shortly after they took off from Boston, New York's JFK airport, and Newark.  767's from United (Flight 175) and American (Flight 11) were flown into the twin World Trade Center Towers in New York, and an American 757 (Flight 77) was crashed into the Pentagon in Washington.  With the fourth plane, United 93, another 757, after finding out what was going on, heroic passengers and crew members banded together to regain control of the plane.  They stormed the cockpit, but sadly, the plane crashed in a rural area of Pennsylvania, killing all on board.  In horror, the world watched as the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center towers burned as thousands of people tried to escape.  In a matter of a couple of hours, the fires caused by the jet fuel caused the support structure of the towers to weaken.  One right after another the two towers collapsed in a matter of seconds.  2,997 lives were lost on that day.  

The first to lose their lives that day were flight attendants from United and American Airlines as they tried to stop the terrorists from commandeering the cockpits.  September 11 is a difficult anniversary for employees at United and American as they are reminded of the friends and colleagues they lost.  They also remember the fear and uncertainty they felt as all flights were grounded and the U.S. air system was shut down for three days.  They also remember what it took to recover as they had to figure out what to do with thousands of planes, employees and passengers that were stranded all over they world.  Most significantly, they had to set aside their grief, and then find the the strength and spirit to assure passengers and themselves that the skies were once again safe to fly.  

With Hurricanes Harvey and Irma fresh in our minds, and September 11, 2001 a day that should not be forgotten, the lesson in this post is that our nation's airlines are about their employees and they are about teamwork.  We take them for granted that they will always be there, and we complain about service; the reason being is that most of the flying public does not understand what it takes to run an airline.   More than in any other industry, airline employees are especially dedicated and they are proud of what they do.  You would have to be to put up with the flying public and put up with ivory tower managers constantly looking down to see where they can cut costs.  

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that every September 11, I fly to New York and back on United Airlines.  The tradition started out as my way of demonstrating to myself and to employees at United that I was not going to be afraid to fly again.  As the years have gone by, and I have gotten to know many of the front line employees at United, September 11 is a good day for me to really show them how much I appreciate their hard work, dedication and the sacrifices they have made to keep United flying.  There have been so many changes at United since September 11, 2001.  There was a lot of bad there for awhile, especially after the merger with Continental, but things are getting better. I still miss the vision and pride that United had in the 1990's, but it is nice to finally have leadership that recognizes that an airline's most valuable asset is its employees.  If Mr. Munoz were to grant me one wish though, it would be to bring back the tulip.  When I look at the planes and walk through the terminals, it just does not feel the same without that iconic red and blue "U's" that together look like a tulip flower.

I am looking forward to this trip.  I will be flying up through San Francisco to connect to a flight to Newark on one of United's brand new 777's with the new Polaris cabin.   The new Polaris cabins are supposed to set United apart from all the other carriers.  I know I may not get the full Polaris treatment that is offered on international flights, but It will be nice to try out the new seats.  Most of all I am looking forward to seeing my friends and thanking as many of the employees as I can.  The attacks on September 11, 2001 affected all of us in different ways.  As horrific as the day was, it should never be forgotten.  For the employees at United, 9/11 is always going to be a difficult day.  If you are traveling on United, American or any other airline on Monday, take a minute to thank the employees that you encounter.  Thank you again for reading, and thank you for all of your support and encouragement.  Most of all - Thank you for keeping the Skies Friendly!

P.S. - Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Harvey, the earthquake in Mexico, and the events on September 11, 2001.  One thing they all have in common is that the Red Cross and its relief workers were and are there to help.  Consider donating at this critical time for them.  In addition, there are United employees that lost their homes and belongings to Hurricane Harvey.  The Association of Flight Attendants, AFA/CWA, has a disaster relief fund set up to help their members.  They are taking donations at afacwa.org/drf.  Monday would be a good day to take a moment to donate to those that need our help now.  Thank you!

Oscar Munoz' United Airlines - are the Skies Friendly again?

A few days before my trip to Colorado back in May, I received the kindest message via Facebook from a DCA based Flight Attendant.  It reads:

"Mr. Anderson - you have been such a good friend to United employees and I want you to know that we feel we are on the upswing, despite the recent media circus.  Oscar Munoz has really made all the difference and I feel as though you helped get the message across that we needed someone like that at our helm.  Thank you."

With these last two trips, I really have noticed a positive change in everyone and everything I come across at United.  Terminals and gates are being revamped across the system.  Newer aircraft are being put into service.  I finally had the chance to ride on the 787 this last Sunday. For domestic routes, United management finally got the message that customers hated being stuck in regional jets and mainline flying has been restored to many mid-size cities.  Food service is back in Economy on more domestic routes, and free food service is back in Economy on International flights.  Don't get me wrong, when I say food service has been restored, that does not mean hot meals on trays, but there are more fresh sandwiches and salads available.  It is certainly much better than having only the buy on board snack boxes available. 

The upgrades at LAX are really coming along and it has made such a difference for everyone there.  In the last month, they have opened the new private Global Services check-in lounge, and with all Premier Access check-ins you are helped by a United agent. There are no self-serve kiosks.  Even for Economy passengers, check-in lines seem so much smaller and move faster.  TSA screening has also improved.  If anyone reading this has not signed up for "Pre-Check," you should do so before your next trip.  Security screening is so much more civilized when you don't have to remove your belt and shoes.   

Today at Denver, there was no waiting at all to check-in.  TSA Pre-Check lines were light and I got through security in less than five minutes.  The "B" concourse is busy, there are a lot of people flying today.  I was greeted with smiles at the United Club by long-time United employees.  I even got a hug and thank you for all that I have done.  The United Club - Denver East is bustling today.  Amenities, as well as food and beverage offerings are substantially improved.  Mr. Smisek's austerity focus had made the clubs uncomfortable, and there was no feeling that customers were valued.  I hated the new United Clubs and longed to have the Red Carpet Clubs back.

When Mr. Munoz took over for Mr. Smisek, he knew his primary focus was to make things right with United employees.  Since 2001, it is this same message that I have worked so hard to get out and get across to United management.  I have handed out thousands of Starbucks cards and "More than a Co-Worker" wrist bands just to get the simple message out that customers did appreciate the hard work and sacrifices of those on the front lines at United.  I attended Shareholders Meetings in the hopes that Mr. Tilton, Mr. Smisek and the Board of Directors would hear my pleas that the employees were hurting, but I do not know that they ever heard what I had to say.  I even walked the picket lines at LAX with the AFA.  However, I do know that my simple message did spread across the system, and I hope that in some small way it strengthened the employees' resolve to fight for what they deserved.  

Mr. Munoz' United Airlines is such a welcome change, and I hope that customers who defected under Mr. Smisek's regime, are starting to come back.  There are a lot of things I do miss, such as 3-cabin service on the Premium Service flights between New York and Los Angeles / San Francisco.  I do miss the "Premium" on the Premium Service flights.  I do miss the 777 from LAX to IAD.  Sitting up front on those trips was always so very special.  I am encouraged to see the 777 back on more domestic routes, as well as the 787.  I think management got the the message that customers want more choices than the 737 when making the decision to fly United.  

I'll be on a 777 tonight going back to Los Angeles.  Sadly, there is no First Class, but I have a Business Class seat up front.  United was the first U.S. airline to offer 3-cabin service back in the 90's and back then they knew that 3-cabin service was needed on domestic routes to complement the premium experience offered on international flights.  After the merger with Continental, all the widebodies were pulled from domestic flying, which disappointed many loyal United customers.  It is also heart-breaking that the 747's are gone.  When they were first put into service, they were the crown jewel in United's fleet ferrying millions of passengers from the west coast to Honolulu.  As United grew into a truly global carrier, the 747 was needed to carry passengers across the oceans.  Now new generation 777's, the 787 dreamliner, and the much anticipated Airbus A-350 are stepping in. They are lighter and more fuel-efficient, able to fly up to 18 hours at a time. 

There is still work to be done at United. The improvements have pulled United out of last place in customer service surveys, but I think Mr. Munoz wants to pull United out of the basement and ahead of Delta and American.  The media has made a lot of noise about recent customer service missteps, most of which have involved the regional carriers flying under the United Express name.  It is sad that the press and public crucified United over the Dr. Dao incident.  Dr. Dao was breaking the law by not following instructions from crew members and law enforcement, yet United Airlines was forced to settle with him all because of how the media portrayed the incident.  There have been other incidents, and some have been missteps by United employees.  However, the blame cannot fall on an employee who is only following orders.  Back in the good old days, United's customer service agents were allowed more flexibility and authority, and were able to quickly adapt to any problem before it became a crisis.  United management still has not taken all of the chains off, and I hope as they look back at the recent missteps, they will realize that with the right training and authority, the agents are the best at coming up with the right solution.  

United has to once again become an innovator rather than a follower.  I think that the new Polaris service is nice, but it is similar to the premium cabin product that Delta has had in place for over a decade.  It will be United's Flight Attendants that will make Polaris something special, and I know many of them will do so because of their love of the job. I think many of the new hires cannot understand what is expected of them, and I also have heard there are some parts of the Polaris service that are not well received by customers. There are 60 Polaris seats on the new 777.  That is a lot of customers that need attention. These are customers that are not necessarily impressed with a premium wine cart and artisanal cheeses.  Your Polaris customers want a good meal that is edible and prepared properly.  They want it served with a smile, and they want a Flight Attendant that knows how to serve a multi-course meal.  Good attention to detail is more than a wine and cheese cart.  When United acquired Pan Am's Pacific routes back in the late 1980's, they hired Pan Am Flight Attendants and asked them to train United's Flight Attendants in all aspects of premium international travel.  I think Mr. Risoli would do well to reach out to United's experienced Flight Attendants and seek their advice in order to make Polaris a truly superior product.  Above all, don't skimp on the meals.  Get back to the quality of when airlines had their own kitchens.  A good steak rather than pasta - that is what Polaris should be.  Oh - and it doesn't have to have a fancy chef's name behind it. 

I think offering Basic, "no-frills", Economy is a mistake.  In the past, low fares were offered in order to fill seats that would otherwise go out empty.  There was no difference in the service offered.  Each new customer is an opportunity to gain a loyal customer, and more importantly a loyal customer that will tell others to choose United when planning a trip.  Basic economy with no leg-room and passengers being nickle and dimed for everything is only inviting complaints, not getting the word out that United is the best.  

My flight is going to be boarding soon, and I have gotten off track.  As I said before, I have made it a mission to let United's employees know how much they are appreciated by some of us customers. I also made it a mission to get the word to United management that they needed to do better by their employees.  I cannot take credit for the Board's decision to let Mr. Smisek go and have Mr. Munoz replace him.  I can only hope that maybe someone on that Board heard what I had to say at the Shareholders' meetings.  You have all let me know in one way or another that I have helped, and that is what keeps me flying United. 

I am going to try to post more as I do enjoy being able to talk about my experiences at United.  I will keep writing about the good and making suggestions to change the bad.  I hope you all will continue to follow and as I travel I hope to meet many of you in person.

Stay safe - and Thank you for keeping the Skies Friendly.