A Delta Air Lines pilot hit a passenger as she and two other women fought on the floor of a boarding ramp in Atlanta last week, according to a video released by TMZ.
Although the incident happened April 21, the video rocketed around the Internet on Saturday — another heated altercation as airlines are under scrutiny for mistreating people following a United Airlines passenger’s bloody, forced removal from a flight this month.
The Delta video, apparently taken using a cellphone, shows three people cursing at each other, then fighting on the Jetway as shocked passengers watch or scramble to get out of the way.
At one point, one of the fighters takes the other woman to the ground, then wraps her legs around her neck and head in an apparently choke hold. That is when the pilot, clad in his white shirt and pilot’s cap, walks over and tries to intervene. He grabs the woman’s wrist and strikes her, although it’s unclear whether he does it with an open or closed fist.
According to TMZ, the women “had gotten into a skirmish earlier, on the airplane, and they knew each other.”
No one was charged in the incident, including the pilot.
Delta spokesman Brian Kruse said the pilot was trying to de-escalate an ongoing fight.
“We became aware of this incident and a video last week and immediately removed the pilot from duty while we completed a thorough investigation,” Kruse said.
Local law enforcement was called to respond at the time of the incident. The pilot has since been returned to work as our investigation found that his actions de-escalated an altercation between passengers on the Jetway floor during deplaning.
But Kruse said he wasn’t authorized to give other details, including what airline personnel are instructed to do in those types of situations.
The Delta incident happened less than two weeks after the United passengers’ removal made international headlines and sparked a public-relations nightmare for United Airlines.
In that incident, a United official told passengers that they needed four passengers to give up their seats to accommodate off-duty crew members. When no one volunteered, the airline randomly selected four people. Three left without incident, but David Dao wouldn’t budge.
He later told one of the officers, “I’m not leaving this flight that I paid money for. I don’t care if I get arrested,” according to a police report.
In the ensuing struggle with officers, Dao fell and hit his mouth on a seat’s armrest. His lawyer said he broke his nose and lost two teeth. He went limp and the video captured him bleeding from the mouth as officers dragged him off the plane.
United chief executive Oscar Munoz, who in March received the 2017 Communicator of the Year award from PRWeek magazine, was blasted for his subsequent tone-deaf statement, in which he apologized “for having to reaccommodate these customers.”
Though Munoz would eventually issue a deeper apology two days later, by then the damage to the airline’s brand was palpable. United stock prices had fallen and the incident had made the airline the butt of numerous memes online.
The incident prompted United to change its policies regarding bumped passengers, requiring airline crews to check in at least an hour before a flight’s departure. Two other major national airlines also announced changes: Delta Air Lines said it would offer passengers up to $9,950 to give up their seats on overbooked flights.
In another incident April 21, an American Airlines employee was accused of upsetting a woman carrying a baby to the point of tears, then getting involved in a heated exchange with a man who came to her defense.
“You can’t use violence with baby,” the female passenger says, through tears, toward the plane door where some passengers were still boarding. “Just give me back my stroller, please.”
A male passenger gets up and demands to know the name of the flight attendant who reduced the woman to tears. And the two men yell at each other when the flight attendant gets back on the plane.
“You do that to me, and I’ll knock you flat,” the man tells the flight attendant.
“Hit me,” the flight attendant replies, motioning with his hands. “Come on, hit me!”
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Showing posts with label Oscar Munoz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oscar Munoz. Show all posts
Monday, 1 May 2017
Monday, 17 April 2017
USA: Embarassed United Airlines Will No Longer Allow Its Staff To Displace Passengers On Overbooked Flights
United Airlines was rocked with a giant backlash and plunging stock price after airport police officers physically removed passenger Dr. David Dao from his seat after he was requested to give up his seat for United Airline crew members.
United Airlines, which is reviewing its policies after the violent removal of a passenger from a flight last week, says it will no longer allow employees to take the place of civilian passengers who have already boarded overbooked flights.
“We issued an updated policy to make sure crews travelling on our aircraft are booked at least 60 minutes prior to departure,” a spokesperson, Maggie Schmerin, said Sunday. “This is one of our initial steps in a review of our policies.”
Schmerin confirmed the validity of a memo dated April 14, that ordered the new policy. She said the change was meant to ensure that episodes like the one that happened last week “never happen again.”
She also emphasized a previously announced change that law enforcement officials would no longer be asked to remove passengers who do not pose immediate security threats.
United is reviewing the circumstances that led to the forcible removal of Dr. David Dao, of Kentucky, by Chicago aviation police officers on April 9. The company said it would share the findings of its review and any proposed reforms by the end of the month.
During the removal, which grew into an embarrassing international episode, Dao had two of his teeth knocked out, suffered a broken nose and a concussion and may require surgery, his lawyer said.
His treatment caused a backlash that lasted for most of the week and spanned continents, as United, its stock price plunging, struggled to come up with a response.
After several days of uproar, the company’s chief executive, Oscar Munoz, apologized on Good Morning America.
But his apology failed to stem the tide, as lawmakers called for an investigation. The episode also set off criticism over the state of the airline industry.
United Airlines, which is reviewing its policies after the violent removal of a passenger from a flight last week, says it will no longer allow employees to take the place of civilian passengers who have already boarded overbooked flights.
“We issued an updated policy to make sure crews travelling on our aircraft are booked at least 60 minutes prior to departure,” a spokesperson, Maggie Schmerin, said Sunday. “This is one of our initial steps in a review of our policies.”
Schmerin confirmed the validity of a memo dated April 14, that ordered the new policy. She said the change was meant to ensure that episodes like the one that happened last week “never happen again.”
She also emphasized a previously announced change that law enforcement officials would no longer be asked to remove passengers who do not pose immediate security threats.
United is reviewing the circumstances that led to the forcible removal of Dr. David Dao, of Kentucky, by Chicago aviation police officers on April 9. The company said it would share the findings of its review and any proposed reforms by the end of the month.
During the removal, which grew into an embarrassing international episode, Dao had two of his teeth knocked out, suffered a broken nose and a concussion and may require surgery, his lawyer said.
His treatment caused a backlash that lasted for most of the week and spanned continents, as United, its stock price plunging, struggled to come up with a response.
After several days of uproar, the company’s chief executive, Oscar Munoz, apologized on Good Morning America.
But his apology failed to stem the tide, as lawmakers called for an investigation. The episode also set off criticism over the state of the airline industry.
Tuesday, 11 April 2017
USA: United Airlines Shame On You, After Dragging Chinese Passenger Off A Flight From Chicago To Kentucky
A United Airlines passenger was forcibly removed from a flight after he refused to voluntarily give up his seat Sunday night, as shown in jarring videos posted online by fellow passengers.
United had overbooked the flight and was looking for four volunteers to leave the plane in order to send four United crew members from Chicago to Louisville.
Passengers were allowed to board and the airline offered $800 to anyone who would give up their seat, but when there were no volunteers United said a computer would randomly select four passengers.
One of those selected claimed to be a doctor who had patients to see in the morning, and he refused to leave. Airport security then dragged him off the plane.
The United Contract of Carriage lays out specific policies for passengers who are not allowed to board overbooked flights but doesn’t cite policy for removing passengers who are already seated on such flights.
Late last month, two teenage girls dressed in leggings were denied boarding on a United flight from Denver to Minneapolis because of their form-fitting pants.
Because the girls were using free passes for employees or family members, they were subject to a dress code.
After our team looked for volunteers, one customer refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily and law enforcement was asked to come to the gate, said United Airlines spokesman.
Images of a bloodied passenger being forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight in Chicago drew widespread condemnation in China following a witnesses' report that the man said he was targeted because he was Chinese.
Video of the violent incident posted on China's popular Twitter-like Weibo had been viewed more than 210 million times by late Tuesday.
Many responded with outrage over perceived ethnic bias against the passenger and some called for a boycott of the U.S.-based airline.
"Rubbish!" writer Su Danqing posted on Weibo. "When they were treating this Asian man, they never thought of human rights, otherwise they wouldn't have done it that way."
"Damn it! This airline must be boycotted!" said a posting from Liu Bing, a telecommunications company worker.
State-run media fueled the anger with reports that noted the unidentified victim was an "Asian passenger."
United does considerable business with Chinese passengers and a consumer boycott could cause serious pain. United says it operates more non-stop U.S.-China flights to more cities in China than any other airline.
Rowdiness has long been associated with air travel in China, including passengers getting into fights with crew members and a vicious assault last year in which an enraged customer smashed an airline check-in clerk in the head with a brass plaque.
The United incident appeared to feed into such customer frustrations only this time the tables were turned and the passenger was cast as victim.
United executives struggled to control the public relations damage.
Airline CEO Oscar Munoz said the unidentified man removed from the Chicago to Kentucky flight had become "disruptive and belligerent" after he was asked to leave the plane to make room for several employees of a partner airline who wanted on the flight.
When the man refused, officers from the Chicago Aviation Department came in and first tried to reason with him before pulling him from his seat by force and dragging him away, according to another passenger, Tyler Bridges, whose wife later posted a video of the altercation on Facebook.
China’s social media was burning with outrage Tuesday over United Airlines’ forced removal of a passenger identified in news reports as ethnically Chinese.
The incident Sunday night, which was captured by mobile phone cameras, was the No. 1 trending topic on China’s Twitter-like Weibo. The topic drew more than 160 million views and about 100,000 comments by early Tuesday evening.
The flurry of online activity comes amid a growing awareness of consumer rights by Chinese citizens, who have taken to social media to complain about everything from bad customer service to poor-quality products.
Samsung Electronics Co. was in the crosshairs of Chinese social-media users last year after its Galaxy Note 7s was recalled due to exploding phones, while Apple Inc. was chastised by netizens several years earlier after a Chinese state-media broadcast accused Apple of being biased against Chinese consumers in its warranty and customer-service policies.
Many of the comments on Chinese social media focused on alleged discrimination by United, in response to reports by fellow passengers that the man was a doctor who claimed he was selected for removal because of his race.
“This is inherent arrogance,” said Song Hongbing, a popular Chinese author, on his verified Weibo account. “I don’t think a 69-year-old white doctor would be treated like this.”
Others talked about boycotting the airline or canceling their United Airlines credit cards.
“Overselling is the responsibility of the airlines,” said Wang Guanxiong, a venture-capital investor, on his verified account. “Why was it an Asian who got beaten? This is purely racial discrimination…boycott United Airlines.”
United Airlines Chief Executive Oscar Munoz apologized in an online statement, saying the airline would “conduct a detailed review” of the incident and reach out to the passenger directly.
In a memo sent to employees Monday evening, however, Mr. Munoz said the passenger defied aviation security officers after being asked to leave the plane. “Our employees followed established procedures for dealing with situations like this,” he said.
A United representative couldn’t immediately be reached for comment on the reaction in China.
United has operated in China for more than 30 years and has more nonstop routes to and from the mainland than American Airlines or Delta.
Unlike those two carriers, which fly nonstop to the U.S. from Shanghai and Beijing only, United also offers direct flights from second-tier cities such as Chengdu and Xi’an.
Last year, United added Hangzhou as a fifth Chinese destination for nonstop flights.
One reason why the episode has struck a chord in China is due to the rise of China’s middle class, said Linda Du, general manager at consultancy APCO Worldwide.
The number of nonresident visitors from China to the U.S. reached 2.1 million in the first three quarters of 2016, up 14.5% when compared with the same period a year earlier, according the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office.
“International travel is now really common for people, either for business or personal pleasure. Chinese passengers want equal treatment, a good experience and to be respected,” Ms. Du said. “They have a sense of protecting self interest.”
Ms. Du noted that social media is one of the few outlets Chinese people have to express themselves. “In China, most of the traditional media is regulated by the Chinese government, so social media which is the grass roots voice is the only resource they have.”
Many comments on Chinese social media made reference to a popular Chinese TV soap opera, “In the Name of People,” which recently portrayed a corrupt official fleeing China aboard a United flight bound for Los Angeles.
Mixing fact and fiction, some social-media users joked that the official should have been thrown off the flight as well.
United had overbooked the flight and was looking for four volunteers to leave the plane in order to send four United crew members from Chicago to Louisville.
Passengers were allowed to board and the airline offered $800 to anyone who would give up their seat, but when there were no volunteers United said a computer would randomly select four passengers.
One of those selected claimed to be a doctor who had patients to see in the morning, and he refused to leave. Airport security then dragged him off the plane.
The United Contract of Carriage lays out specific policies for passengers who are not allowed to board overbooked flights but doesn’t cite policy for removing passengers who are already seated on such flights.
Late last month, two teenage girls dressed in leggings were denied boarding on a United flight from Denver to Minneapolis because of their form-fitting pants.
Because the girls were using free passes for employees or family members, they were subject to a dress code.
After our team looked for volunteers, one customer refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily and law enforcement was asked to come to the gate, said United Airlines spokesman.
Images of a bloodied passenger being forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight in Chicago drew widespread condemnation in China following a witnesses' report that the man said he was targeted because he was Chinese.
Video of the violent incident posted on China's popular Twitter-like Weibo had been viewed more than 210 million times by late Tuesday.
Many responded with outrage over perceived ethnic bias against the passenger and some called for a boycott of the U.S.-based airline.
"Rubbish!" writer Su Danqing posted on Weibo. "When they were treating this Asian man, they never thought of human rights, otherwise they wouldn't have done it that way."
"Damn it! This airline must be boycotted!" said a posting from Liu Bing, a telecommunications company worker.
State-run media fueled the anger with reports that noted the unidentified victim was an "Asian passenger."
United does considerable business with Chinese passengers and a consumer boycott could cause serious pain. United says it operates more non-stop U.S.-China flights to more cities in China than any other airline.
Rowdiness has long been associated with air travel in China, including passengers getting into fights with crew members and a vicious assault last year in which an enraged customer smashed an airline check-in clerk in the head with a brass plaque.
The United incident appeared to feed into such customer frustrations only this time the tables were turned and the passenger was cast as victim.
United executives struggled to control the public relations damage.
Airline CEO Oscar Munoz said the unidentified man removed from the Chicago to Kentucky flight had become "disruptive and belligerent" after he was asked to leave the plane to make room for several employees of a partner airline who wanted on the flight.
When the man refused, officers from the Chicago Aviation Department came in and first tried to reason with him before pulling him from his seat by force and dragging him away, according to another passenger, Tyler Bridges, whose wife later posted a video of the altercation on Facebook.
China’s social media was burning with outrage Tuesday over United Airlines’ forced removal of a passenger identified in news reports as ethnically Chinese.
The incident Sunday night, which was captured by mobile phone cameras, was the No. 1 trending topic on China’s Twitter-like Weibo. The topic drew more than 160 million views and about 100,000 comments by early Tuesday evening.
The flurry of online activity comes amid a growing awareness of consumer rights by Chinese citizens, who have taken to social media to complain about everything from bad customer service to poor-quality products.
Samsung Electronics Co. was in the crosshairs of Chinese social-media users last year after its Galaxy Note 7s was recalled due to exploding phones, while Apple Inc. was chastised by netizens several years earlier after a Chinese state-media broadcast accused Apple of being biased against Chinese consumers in its warranty and customer-service policies.
Many of the comments on Chinese social media focused on alleged discrimination by United, in response to reports by fellow passengers that the man was a doctor who claimed he was selected for removal because of his race.
“This is inherent arrogance,” said Song Hongbing, a popular Chinese author, on his verified Weibo account. “I don’t think a 69-year-old white doctor would be treated like this.”
Others talked about boycotting the airline or canceling their United Airlines credit cards.
“Overselling is the responsibility of the airlines,” said Wang Guanxiong, a venture-capital investor, on his verified account. “Why was it an Asian who got beaten? This is purely racial discrimination…boycott United Airlines.”
United Airlines Chief Executive Oscar Munoz apologized in an online statement, saying the airline would “conduct a detailed review” of the incident and reach out to the passenger directly.
In a memo sent to employees Monday evening, however, Mr. Munoz said the passenger defied aviation security officers after being asked to leave the plane. “Our employees followed established procedures for dealing with situations like this,” he said.
A United representative couldn’t immediately be reached for comment on the reaction in China.
United has operated in China for more than 30 years and has more nonstop routes to and from the mainland than American Airlines or Delta.
Unlike those two carriers, which fly nonstop to the U.S. from Shanghai and Beijing only, United also offers direct flights from second-tier cities such as Chengdu and Xi’an.
Last year, United added Hangzhou as a fifth Chinese destination for nonstop flights.
One reason why the episode has struck a chord in China is due to the rise of China’s middle class, said Linda Du, general manager at consultancy APCO Worldwide.
The number of nonresident visitors from China to the U.S. reached 2.1 million in the first three quarters of 2016, up 14.5% when compared with the same period a year earlier, according the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office.
“International travel is now really common for people, either for business or personal pleasure. Chinese passengers want equal treatment, a good experience and to be respected,” Ms. Du said. “They have a sense of protecting self interest.”
Ms. Du noted that social media is one of the few outlets Chinese people have to express themselves. “In China, most of the traditional media is regulated by the Chinese government, so social media which is the grass roots voice is the only resource they have.”
Many comments on Chinese social media made reference to a popular Chinese TV soap opera, “In the Name of People,” which recently portrayed a corrupt official fleeing China aboard a United flight bound for Los Angeles.
Mixing fact and fiction, some social-media users joked that the official should have been thrown off the flight as well.
Friday, 23 October 2015
USA: Brett J. Hart Named Acting CEO Of United Airlines, President And CEO Oscar Munoz Takes Medical Leave
United Continental Holdings, Inc. announced that its president and CEO, Oscar Munoz, is on medical leave following a heart attack he suffered on Oct. 15, 2015.
At this time, it is too soon to know the course of treatment and timing of recovery. The UAL board of directors has named Brett J. Hart, currently United's executive vice president and general counsel, as acting CEO.
This appointment is effective immediately. In addition to serving as United's general counsel, Hart has been responsible for government and regulatory affairs, corporate real estate, customer experience, corporate security, community affairs, contact centers and food services.
Prior to joining United in 2010, Hart served as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Sara Lee, partner at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, and special assistant to the general counsel at the U.S. Department of Treasury.
Hart has a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy and English from the University of Michigan and a juris doctorate degree from the University of Chicago Law School.
Hart will work closely with Henry L. Meyer III, non-executive chairman of the board, and United's experienced executive team to run the company in Munoz's absence.
The board of directors remains actively engaged in preparing for all potential outcomes regarding the company's leadership structure.
At this time, it is too soon to know the course of treatment and timing of recovery. The UAL board of directors has named Brett J. Hart, currently United's executive vice president and general counsel, as acting CEO.
This appointment is effective immediately. In addition to serving as United's general counsel, Hart has been responsible for government and regulatory affairs, corporate real estate, customer experience, corporate security, community affairs, contact centers and food services.
Prior to joining United in 2010, Hart served as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Sara Lee, partner at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, and special assistant to the general counsel at the U.S. Department of Treasury.
Hart has a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy and English from the University of Michigan and a juris doctorate degree from the University of Chicago Law School.
Hart will work closely with Henry L. Meyer III, non-executive chairman of the board, and United's experienced executive team to run the company in Munoz's absence.
The board of directors remains actively engaged in preparing for all potential outcomes regarding the company's leadership structure.
Monday, 19 October 2015
USA: United Keeps Mum On Medical Condition Of Airline CEO, Oscar Munoz
United Continental Holdings Inc CEO Oscar Munoz
United Continental Holdings Inc (UAL.N) remained silent on the medical condition of its new chief executive officer, who was admitted to the hospital Thursday, prompting questions from observers about who will lead the company in his absence.
The airline said Friday that Oscar Munoz had been admitted to a hospital without providing further details. A source familiar with situation told Reuters the 56-year-old had suffered a heart attack.
However, as of Sunday night, United had declined to provide any updates about Munoz' health or state who will handle his responsibilities.
"We need to know who is speaking on the behalf of the company and who is accountable for the decisions of this great airline," said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a corporate governance expert and a professor at the Yale School of Management.
While United might be waiting to provide comment out of respect for Munoz' privacy, the company also has an obligation to shareholders, Sonnenfeld said.
"Munoz is entitled to his privacy if he doesn't want to be CEO," he said.
Munoz' health problems come barely a month after Munoz took on the job of improving the profitability and reputation of United, the No. 2 U.S. carrier by capacity.
Munoz and his family could not be reached for comment. It is not known where Munoz is being treated.
United's shares closed down 3.1 percent after the news, at a one-week low of $55.97. They have dropped nearly 17 percent this year.
United acknowledged in a short statement on Friday that Munoz's family informed the company he had been hospitalized the day before, and said it would provide "further details as appropriate."
United has an obligation to disclose material developments, wrote John Coffee, a professor specializing in corporate governance issues at Columbia University's law school, in an email. "It is the obligation of the company to keep the market informed of material developments and this seems clearly material to me," Coffee wrote.
It is puzzling why the company has not stated who will take over for Munoz in the meantime, said Greg Taxin, chief investment officer of New York-based Luma Asset Management, and founder of corporate governance research firm Glass, Lewis & Co.
“It’s probably silly or foolish that they just haven’t satisfied people’s desire to know how the chain of command is working," Taxin said. "On the other hand, I presume the CEO of United Airlines goes on vacation on a regular basis, and he’s not around to answer question or make decision and things run just fine.
United is the latest in a string of publicly traded companies that have been caught in the spotlight after their CEO falls ill.
Most notably, Apple Inc (AAPL.O) kept co-founder Steve Jobs' health issues under wraps for years, even when Jobs took medical leave. Jobs died in 2011 of pancreatic cancer.
Walter Isaacson, who wrote Jobs' authorized biography, is on United's board.
Just last month, Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) CEO Lloyd Blankfein disclosed that he had been diagnosed with lymphoma. He informed the board of directors the day he received the diagnosis, and disclosed it publicly the following day.
Similarly JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) CEO Jamie Dimon disclosed that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer in July 2014 shortly after receiving the news and he updated shareholders periodically during his treatment. In December, he disclosed that test results showed he was cancer-free.
United's previous chief executive left while federal authorities were conducting an investigation involving the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Since joining the company last month, Munoz had made it a priority to tackle complaints by customers and employees of United Continental in recent years, often related to the company's struggles to merge the operations of the former United and Continental airlines.
Prior to joining United Airlines, Munoz served as president and chief operating officer of CSX Corp (CSX.N), a Jacksonville, Florida-based transportation company.
The airline said Friday that Oscar Munoz had been admitted to a hospital without providing further details. A source familiar with situation told Reuters the 56-year-old had suffered a heart attack.
However, as of Sunday night, United had declined to provide any updates about Munoz' health or state who will handle his responsibilities.
"We need to know who is speaking on the behalf of the company and who is accountable for the decisions of this great airline," said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a corporate governance expert and a professor at the Yale School of Management.
While United might be waiting to provide comment out of respect for Munoz' privacy, the company also has an obligation to shareholders, Sonnenfeld said.
"Munoz is entitled to his privacy if he doesn't want to be CEO," he said.
Munoz' health problems come barely a month after Munoz took on the job of improving the profitability and reputation of United, the No. 2 U.S. carrier by capacity.
Munoz and his family could not be reached for comment. It is not known where Munoz is being treated.
United's shares closed down 3.1 percent after the news, at a one-week low of $55.97. They have dropped nearly 17 percent this year.
United acknowledged in a short statement on Friday that Munoz's family informed the company he had been hospitalized the day before, and said it would provide "further details as appropriate."
United has an obligation to disclose material developments, wrote John Coffee, a professor specializing in corporate governance issues at Columbia University's law school, in an email. "It is the obligation of the company to keep the market informed of material developments and this seems clearly material to me," Coffee wrote.
It is puzzling why the company has not stated who will take over for Munoz in the meantime, said Greg Taxin, chief investment officer of New York-based Luma Asset Management, and founder of corporate governance research firm Glass, Lewis & Co.
“It’s probably silly or foolish that they just haven’t satisfied people’s desire to know how the chain of command is working," Taxin said. "On the other hand, I presume the CEO of United Airlines goes on vacation on a regular basis, and he’s not around to answer question or make decision and things run just fine.
United is the latest in a string of publicly traded companies that have been caught in the spotlight after their CEO falls ill.
Most notably, Apple Inc (AAPL.O) kept co-founder Steve Jobs' health issues under wraps for years, even when Jobs took medical leave. Jobs died in 2011 of pancreatic cancer.
Walter Isaacson, who wrote Jobs' authorized biography, is on United's board.
Just last month, Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) CEO Lloyd Blankfein disclosed that he had been diagnosed with lymphoma. He informed the board of directors the day he received the diagnosis, and disclosed it publicly the following day.
Similarly JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) CEO Jamie Dimon disclosed that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer in July 2014 shortly after receiving the news and he updated shareholders periodically during his treatment. In December, he disclosed that test results showed he was cancer-free.
United's previous chief executive left while federal authorities were conducting an investigation involving the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Since joining the company last month, Munoz had made it a priority to tackle complaints by customers and employees of United Continental in recent years, often related to the company's struggles to merge the operations of the former United and Continental airlines.
Prior to joining United Airlines, Munoz served as president and chief operating officer of CSX Corp (CSX.N), a Jacksonville, Florida-based transportation company.
Saturday, 17 October 2015
USA: United Airlines CEO Admitted To Hospital
United Airlines said Friday that its new CEO, Oscar Munoz, has been admitted to a hospital. The airline gave no explanation or details of his condition.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Munoz suffered a heart attack, citing people familiar with the matter.
United Continental Holdings Inc. said Friday that Munoz's family informed the company that he was admitted to a hospital on Thursday. The company, based in Chicago, said in a short statement that it was continuing to operate normally. A spokeswoman said the company would not provide additional information.
Munoz, 56, was named CEO of United Continental on Sept. 8 after the company made a stunning announcement that CEO Jeff Smisek had stepped down. Smisek faced questions about whether United sought favors from the officials who operate the New York-area airports. Federal prosecutors are investigating United's ties to David Samson, the former chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and a political ally of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Munoz was a railroad executive who had spent 11 years on the boards of Continental Airlines and United Continental, which was formed by the 2010 merger of United and Continental.
In a newspaper ad this month, Munoz apologized to customers for problems that have plagued United since the merger, including several technology outages that have caused large-scale flight delays and cancelations. United's on-time performance has trailed its three biggest peers — American, Delta and Southwest — so far this year. In the ad, Munoz said United had failed to live up to its promises and vowed, "That's going to change."
He has offered few details, however. On an introductory conference call with Wall Street analysts last month, Munoz said United must convince customers that it will improve customer service but added, "That is going to take a lot of time and effort."
Munoz has also been trying to mend management's relationship with its mostly union workforce and has been meeting around the country with some of United's 85,000 employees.
Munoz was scheduled to meet with the airline's labor leaders Thursday, but the session was canceled at the last minute because he was unable to attend, according to a United message to employees. The message did not explain the CEO's absence.
While United was slower to return to profitability after the financial crisis that began in 2008, it has posted record profits recently, helped by cheaper jet fuel. The company earned $1.7 billion in the first six months of 2015, although revenue slipped 2.6 percent.
United shares fell after news of Munoz' hospitalization. The shares ended Friday down $1.79, or 3.1 percent, to $55.97. They are down 16 percent in 2015.
S&P Capital IQ analyst Jim Corridore said that until more details are known about Munoz's health, the situation could cause uneasiness among investors. He said the company has enough executive talent to continue its improvement efforts.
Vicki Bryan, an analyst for bond-rating company Gimme Credit, said however that United's other executives were the same ones who supported Smisek's "long, calamitous reign." She expressed caution about United's turnaround, adding that "unfortunately, Mr. Munoz's illness could at best delay that even longer."
The Association of Flight Attendants, which represents cabin crews at United, issued a statement saying that with "the upsetting news of United CEO Oscar Munoz's heart attack," it offered support to his family and friends. The union said it was basing is reference to Munoz having suffered a heart attack on news reports.
The Air Line Pilots Association, which has an officer on the United board, wished Munoz a quick recovery from "the health setback."
This story has been corrected to show that Munoz became CEO on Sept. 8, not Sept. 9.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Munoz suffered a heart attack, citing people familiar with the matter.
United Continental Holdings Inc. said Friday that Munoz's family informed the company that he was admitted to a hospital on Thursday. The company, based in Chicago, said in a short statement that it was continuing to operate normally. A spokeswoman said the company would not provide additional information.
Munoz, 56, was named CEO of United Continental on Sept. 8 after the company made a stunning announcement that CEO Jeff Smisek had stepped down. Smisek faced questions about whether United sought favors from the officials who operate the New York-area airports. Federal prosecutors are investigating United's ties to David Samson, the former chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and a political ally of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Munoz was a railroad executive who had spent 11 years on the boards of Continental Airlines and United Continental, which was formed by the 2010 merger of United and Continental.
In a newspaper ad this month, Munoz apologized to customers for problems that have plagued United since the merger, including several technology outages that have caused large-scale flight delays and cancelations. United's on-time performance has trailed its three biggest peers — American, Delta and Southwest — so far this year. In the ad, Munoz said United had failed to live up to its promises and vowed, "That's going to change."
He has offered few details, however. On an introductory conference call with Wall Street analysts last month, Munoz said United must convince customers that it will improve customer service but added, "That is going to take a lot of time and effort."
Munoz has also been trying to mend management's relationship with its mostly union workforce and has been meeting around the country with some of United's 85,000 employees.
Munoz was scheduled to meet with the airline's labor leaders Thursday, but the session was canceled at the last minute because he was unable to attend, according to a United message to employees. The message did not explain the CEO's absence.
While United was slower to return to profitability after the financial crisis that began in 2008, it has posted record profits recently, helped by cheaper jet fuel. The company earned $1.7 billion in the first six months of 2015, although revenue slipped 2.6 percent.
United shares fell after news of Munoz' hospitalization. The shares ended Friday down $1.79, or 3.1 percent, to $55.97. They are down 16 percent in 2015.
S&P Capital IQ analyst Jim Corridore said that until more details are known about Munoz's health, the situation could cause uneasiness among investors. He said the company has enough executive talent to continue its improvement efforts.
Vicki Bryan, an analyst for bond-rating company Gimme Credit, said however that United's other executives were the same ones who supported Smisek's "long, calamitous reign." She expressed caution about United's turnaround, adding that "unfortunately, Mr. Munoz's illness could at best delay that even longer."
The Association of Flight Attendants, which represents cabin crews at United, issued a statement saying that with "the upsetting news of United CEO Oscar Munoz's heart attack," it offered support to his family and friends. The union said it was basing is reference to Munoz having suffered a heart attack on news reports.
The Air Line Pilots Association, which has an officer on the United board, wished Munoz a quick recovery from "the health setback."
This story has been corrected to show that Munoz became CEO on Sept. 8, not Sept. 9.
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