USA: United Airlines Passengers Complains About Its Flight Attendant Over Over Bad Service

Zach Honig, he was on a United Airlines flight from San Francisco International Airport to Newark Liberty International Saturday afternoon when he attempted to order an old fashioned alcoholic beverage.

Honig claims the attendant told him the flight did not have the old fashioned, but was forced to bring him the drink after another passenger pointed out that it was on the menu.

When Honig asked for a second cocktail after takeoff, the crew member said they were only provided one old fashion per fight.

After openly questioning the attendant, Honig received his second drink but noticed it did not feature the candied orange peel skewer the menu described.

When he requested his third old fashion, Honig also asked about the orange peel, which he received.

In addition, Honig complained about the attendant wearing headphones and eating a business-class salad during the flight.

In response, a reported United flight attendant responded to the Twitter thread by calling in to question Honig’s etiquette in the situation and how much responsibility the attendant should take for his actions.

The woman has since deleted her Twitter account, but Airliners.net has the screenshots.

While the actions of the attendant on Honig’s flight were wrong and he should be reprimanded, the reported crew member who followed up on the writer’s complaints by chastising him online doesn’t help the situation.

Even off duty, employees are a reflection of their employer.

United must do a better job educating attendants and other crew members on social media etiquette and how to avoid similar situations.


Tourism Observer

USA: United Connects Newark To Havana

United Airlines’ long-awaited first flight to Havana in over fifty years is scheduled to depart from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) today, ending many of the decades-long travel restrictions and opening new doors for cultural and economic exchange between the neighboring nations, while also providing the large number of Cuban-American residents in the New York/Newark region access to Havana.

Beginning Tues., Nov. 29, United operated daily nonstop flights to the Cuban capital from EWR, and Saturday nonstop service from Houston.

“This is something that two generations of Cuban-Americans have dreamt of, and we couldn’t be more proud to be the airline that provides them with the service to their homeland,” said Steve Morrissey, United’s vice president of regulatory and policy. “Today’s Newark to Havana flight will be the culmination of many months of hard work, planning and anticipation. It’s truly a day to celebrate.”

Since the DOT announced its preliminary Havana route awards in July, United has been working closely with the Cuban government and local airport service providers to prepare for the start of its operation into Josè Martì International Airport, the airline’s 13th new international route launched this year.

Daily nonstop service from New York/Newark (EWR)

United’s daily nonstop flight from Newark Liberty International Airport will provide an important gateway to Cuba from the Newark/New York City region, the largest metropolitan area in the country and home to the second-largest population of Cuban Americans. For more than 20 years, United has offered the Newark/New York City region the most flights to the most destinations around the world.

Saturday nonstop service from Houston (IAH)

Recognized by “Trusted Traveler Network” as one of the most international-friendly points of entry for foreign travelers, Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport is United’s gateway to Latin America. United offers 91 daily nonstop flights to 52 destinations across Latin America and the Caribbean from its Houston hub. Bush Intercontinental will be an important gateway for service to Havana and will directly connect 20 markets across the central and western United States to Cuba with just one stop. The Cuban-American population in the Houston metropolitan area ranks among the top ten cities in the country.

United will operate both services with Boeing 737 aircraft.

UAE: Emirates Serving Central America With World’s Longest Flight

Emirates announced that daily service to Panama City, Panama (PTY) will commence on February 1, 2016. The westbound leg from Dubai (DXB) will surpass Qantas’ flight between Dallas-Fort Worth and Sydney as the world’s longest, and is scheduled at 17 hours 35 minutes (15 hours 45 minutes eastbound).

Emirates will fly the route, a great circle distance of 8,588 miles (about 13,821 km), with the Boeing 777-200LR set in a three-class configuration with accommodations for 256 passengers and 15 tons of cargo. Emirates is not lost on the fact that geography is a natural physical benefit of Panama – itself an isthmus between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and centrally located between North and South America – and therefore, underlies the country’s importance in global trade.

The scheduled flight numbers and times are as follows:

EK251 departs DXB at 8:05 a.m. and arrives the same day in PTY at 4:40 p.m.

EK252 departs PTY at 10:10 p.m. and arrives in DXB the following night at 10:55 p.m
Despite being the new record holder for the longest operating flight, it is shy of Singapore Airline’s former service between Changi Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.

Discontinued in November 2013, that flight covered a distance of over 9,500 miles and averaged over 18 hours. That non-stop service was terminated (almost concurrently with their non-stop flights to Los Angeles International Airport) because the financial performance was lackluster, notwithstanding the all-business class A340-500 offering. The Qantas flight between Dallas and Sydney has held the record of the world’s longest flight since September 2014.

USA: US Department of Justice sues Delta and United Airlines over Newark slot sale

Business Travel Coalition (BTC) today welcomed the news that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) is suing Delta Air Lines and United Airlines to block a slot sale at Newark Liberty International Airport, a sale which DOT contends is in violation of Section 1 and Section 2 of the Sherman Act. United is seeking to build on its 73 percent of takeoff and landing slots at Newark by purchasing 24 slots from Delta.

“This is an important day for business travelers who have been on the losing end of the Big Three U.S. carriers’ stranglehold at Newark where they control 91 percent of the slots and charge some of the highest fares in the country. DOJ no doubt has viewed with alarm the behavior of the Big Three in a radically consolidated industry,” stated BTC founder Kevin Mitchell. “The highest and best use of those slots would be if they were in the hands of low fare airlines like Frontier, Allegiant, JetBlue or Spirit,” added Mitchell.

“As Hillary Clinton’s recent criticism of the airline industry underscored, the Big Three, through their hyper-aggressive efforts to reduce price transparency, undermine consumer protections and frustrate airline new entry, have raised serious concerns in the U.S. Congress, at DOJ, and yes, among U.S. presidential candidates. There are remedies available to policy makers to fix airline behavioral problems caused, in part, by industry consolidation,” continued Mitchell.

GREECE: United Airlines to Fly Direct from New York/Newark to Athens in 2016

United Airlines has announced a new route between New York/Newark and Athens with direct flights on a daily basis, starting on May 25, 2016, subject to government approval.

According to an airline announcement, United’s daily nonstop service between Newark Liberty International Airport and Athens International Airport will operate using the Boeing 767-300 aircraft.

United Airlines flight UA124 will depart Newark Liberty International Airport at 5:40 pm and arrive in Athens at 10:40 am the next morning, local time. The return flight UA125 will leave the Greek capital at 12.30 pm, arriving in Newark at 4:30 pm the same day, local time. Flight times will be 9 hours 50 minutes eastbound and 11 hours westbound.

The New York/Newark-Athens route will run until October 5.

United will also add direct flights to Barcelona, Spain and Lisbon, Portugal.

“These new flights during Europe’s peak-summer travel season will provide additional access to Athens, Barcelona and Lisbon from hundreds of points we serve throughout North America, Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Brian Znotins, United’s vice president of network services.

Each new service is subject to government approval.

USA: United Airlines, Smisek To Return Much Of His Benefits

United Airlines CEO Jeff Smisek resigned on Tuesday amid a federal corruption investigation.

At the same time, United informed the Securities and Exchange Commission that Smisek would be receiving $4.9 million in cash and more than 60,000 shares of stock in his severance package.

The separation agreement also includes a "clawback" clause that if triggered will require Smisek to return much of his severance benefits.

According to United Airlines' SEC filing, the clause will take effect if Smisek is found to have done anything illegal while running the airline.

It's unclear whether Smisek will be able to walk away from United with a clean slate. He stepped down as a result of a federal investigation into whether the airline tried to influence officials at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The federal investigation is focused on United Airlines' relationship with David Samson, the former chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The Port Authority operates Newark Liberty International Airport — United's largest hub on the East Coast.

Investigators are trying to determine whether United provided Samson and other high-ranking officials with expensive dinners and even a special plane route to make it easier for Samson to fly to his South Carolina vacation home. United was making a bid to lower fees at Newark Airport.

Samson stepped down from his role at the Port Authority in 2014.

Before joining United, Smisek was the CEO of Continental Airlines when it merged with United in 2010. Smisek is credited with engineering the $3 billion merger that created one of the world's largest airlines. Though some have criticized Smisek for United's slow return to profitability, investors seem to have regained confidence in his leadership after initially concluding that the merger failed to live up to expectations.

In addition to relinquishing his CEO role, Smisek, 61, will step down from his jobs as chairman and president, and as a director, all effective immediately, according to the company.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, United Airlines outlined the terms of Smisek's departure from the company.

Here's what Smisek will get:

A lump sum cash separation payment of $4.875 million.
60,746 shares of United Airlines (UAL) common stock.
An annual performance bonus prorated to the date of separation.
Long-term performance bonus.
The title to his current company car.
Flight benefits for life.
Free parking for life at predesignated parking locations.
Company health benefits until he is eligible for medicare.
United will help Smisek find a new job through outplacement services.

Here's what United will no longer pay for:

Gym membership.
Accounting services.
Legal services.
Disability insurance.

According to the clawback clause, Smisek must repay or return the $4.875 million separation payment, his prorated annual bonus, 60,746 shares of United stock, and outplacement services if he:

Is convicted of or pleads guilty or no contest to any felony or ...
Is convicted of or pleads guilty or no contest to any crime of "moral turpitude," or ...
Failed to cooperate with the company on legal proceeding or investigations stemming from events while Smisek was employed by United.

If the clawback clause is triggered, Smisek will have no more than 10 days after the receipt of a written request to repay or return the above benefits.

In addition, Smisek also signed a two-year noncompete, as well as a confidentiality agreement.

According to Fortune, Smisek made $11.3 million in total compensation in 2014.

United Airlines said in a press release that it was conducting its own internal investigation of the matter and that the company was continuing to cooperate with the government on the ongoing federal investigation.