Live data from Hacker News

United Airlines' Quest to Be Less Awful

bloomberg.com

1–10 of 94 posts

Re: United Airlines' Quest to Be Less Awful

#4
Airlines taking away free snacks for customers feels like companies taking away free snacks for employees: it doesn't really matter much by itself for anyone involved, but it's an obvious signal that the management involved can't bother to even put a fig leaf on the matter of your personal comfort.

Re: United Airlines' Quest to Be Less Awful

#6
Flight experiences are really just anecdotal if you're talking about the same "class" of flight. I know people who fly regularly and are perfectly fine with Delta while they'd never fly American. At the same time, its always felt like the "national" domestic airlines have had very poor service - I liken it to GM and Chrysler vehicles.

Re: United Airlines' Quest to Be Less Awful

#7
post #4

Airlines taking away free snacks for customers feels like companies taking away free snacks for employees: it doesn't really matter much by itself for anyone involved, but it's an obvious signal that the management involved can't bother to even put a fig leaf on the matter of your personal comfort.

What is odd is that even the cheapest budget airlines of Asia, and there are many, many of them, nearly all provide not just free snacks, but free hot meals.

Re: United Airlines' Quest to Be Less Awful

#9
post #4

Airlines taking away free snacks for customers feels like companies taking away free snacks for employees: it doesn't really matter much by itself for anyone involved, but it's an obvious signal that the management involved can't bother to even put a fig leaf on the matter of your personal comfort.

What is odd is that even the cheapest budget airlines of Asia, and there are many, many of them, nearly all provide not just free snacks, but free hot meals.

Except for Air Asia

Re: United Airlines' Quest to Be Less Awful

#10
post #4

Airlines taking away free snacks for customers feels like companies taking away free snacks for employees: it doesn't really matter much by itself for anyone involved, but it's an obvious signal that the management involved can't bother to even put a fig leaf on the matter of your personal comfort.

"Very many little things" is a great way of describing how bad air travel is. None of the issues are all that bad taken individually, but taken together, the experience is worse than the difference of its parts.

* Security (a stressful PITA)

* Boarding (never goes smoothly)

* Environment (tiny seats, loud, sick passengers, babies, etc)

* Service (rude/inattentive FA's, overpriced small extras that feel insulting)

* Delays (taking off, getting there, getting your bags)

And then then there's the one-offs. A bag gets lost, a connection gets missed, mechanical problems..

Most of this stuff can be addressed directly.

Post reply on HN