Corporate executive not welcome in the United Airlines first class cabin
First United’s baggage handlers broke Dave Carroll’s guitar, then it lost his luggage. Now, they’re in another PR nightmare when it revoked a Best Buy executive’s first class upgrade because he was dressed “too casually.” He was dressed in a track suit.
Now, this was no regular bald man in a tacky track suit – this gentleman is Armando Alvarez, a vice president with electronics retailer Best Buy.
Apparently, United Airlines suddenly decided that they’d pretend we are all back in the 60′s, and that the first class cabin should only be occupied by people dressed for the occasion.
The only dress code in United’s contract of carriage is that passengers cannot be barefoot and United employees who are traveling non-rev must be dressed appropriately.
IATA maintains $11 billion loss forecast despite profitable third quarter
Even though airlines reported a net third quarter profit of $400 million, the International Air Transport Association is keeping its forecast of airlines losing $11 billion for the year.
In its Airlines Financial Monitor, the organization said, “travel volume growth turned positive in September for the first time in a year with international RPKs up 0.3%,” and noted that “seasonally adjusted levels of RPKs are now 5% up on their Q1 low.”
But it warned that RPKs are still 6% below early 2008 levels and that “the pace of improvement [in fare levels] is slow and levels remain well down on last year, unlike travel volumes. . .The revenue environment remains extremely challenging.” Fares and yield show signs of “stabilizing,” but “at very low levels.”
Continental Air may reconsider combining with United
Continental Airlines may reconsider merging with United if the merger between Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines succeeds.
Continental will focus on its new membership in the United- led Star Alliance marketing group and is “very pleased” to remain independent, [President Jeff] Smisek said today in a Bloomberg Television interview. Houston-based Continental, the fourth-biggest U.S. carrier, would reconsider the strategy should Delta’s purchase of Northwest result in higher earnings, he said.
(Photo: caribb/Flickr Creative Commons)
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