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18 Jun 2011 18:04

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Biz: United Airlines dodged a bullet with their system shutdown

  • 10k number of flights canceled after a December snowstorm
  • 9k number of flights canceled after a similar January storm
  • 31 number of flights canceled due to United’s data outage Friday source
  • » That doesn’t seem like many, right? Yeah, you’re right … while there were another 105 delayed flights worldwide, the fact of the matter is, it happened on a Friday night – the best possible time for a total system shutdown. While travelers were understandably angry, it was the difference between thousands of angry people and hundreds of thousands of angry people.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

03 May 2010 19:02

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Biz: United/Continental merger: Why it sucks to be American Airlines

  • winners United and Continental could become an airline that reaches nearly every major city in the world – necessary to stand out from low-cost domestic carriers.
  • loser American Airlines, their main
    global competitor, has notable
    holes in their direct coverage, especially to fast-growing Asian countries like China. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink

03 May 2010 17:56

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Biz: How big is the combined United/Continental Airlines, anyway?

  • $29 billion in revenue per year
    for the combined airline
  • 370 number of destinations the combined airline will cover; it’ll have 10 hubs
  • 90,000 number of employees the airline will have after the merger source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Apr 2010 20:17

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Biz: United we merge: U.S. Airways and United Airlines wanna shack up

  • Because, hey, who needs consumer choice, anyway? The two airlines are in the kind of talks that saw Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines merge recently, a move which confused the pilots. They’ve almost merged a few times already, most recently in 2008. But with the warm feeling of precedent slicking the runway, the skies could clear. It might just happen this time. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 Sep 2009 01:42

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U.S.: Welcome back Sully: The heroic Hudson pilot goes back to work

  • The months since January 15 have been very full, and my family and I have had some unforgettable experiences. However, I have missed working with my colleagues at US Airways and I am eager to get back in the cockpit with my fellow pilots in the months ahead.
  • Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger • On returning to work in a slightly different role. The US Airways pilot will be returning as a management pilot and will also play a larger role in safety management. Considering the pin-point landing he made with Flight 1549, he’s going to be perfect for that role. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Jul 2009 10:28

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Biz, Culture: A musician with a bone to pick sez “United Breaks Guitars”

  • Guy named Dave Carroll rides an airplane with his band. Dude checks his $3,500 guitar. United’s baggage-handling staff manhandles said guitar, and a number of people on board see them do it. Guitar is broken. United, despite breaking it, won’t pay for the damages. Guy writes song about it and puts video on YouTube, giving him instant good (and United instant bad) exposure. Who’s really the loser here? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 3 Comments • Permalink

15 Apr 2009 22:26

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Biz, Offbeat: Yo, fattie, you’re taking up an extra seat! Time to pay double!

  • United joins in the anti-fattie air crusade. Are you really fat. Like, really fat? Fatter than that, even? Say, bigger than a breadbox, or an airplane seat? Well, if your fatness gets you booted off a flight, you’re paying for two on United. They’re not alone in their policy – eight other airlines already do it. United defines obese as, get this, “unable to lower the arm rest and buckle a seat belt with one extension belt.” So, sorry fat people. You’re fat. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
 
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