United Airlines News

United Airlines is in great peril, losing $100 million in revenue per day. But its CEO-in-waiting is already thinking about how the airline can emerge stronger from this crisis. Let's see if he can pull it off.

Richard Anderson, the former Delta Air Lines CEO, loved to talk about how Delta was a high-quality industrial company. Delta is a great airline, no doubt. But let's be honest: Airlines are not regular companies. We're now being reminded of that fact.

Loyalty programs are one of the biggest assets at an airline. As bad as things are, the programs probably still have value that airlines can leverage for cash.

U.S. airlines were in a position of strength. And then the coronavirus crisis struck. Although no carrier has announced layoffs or has requested a government bailout, the days, weeks, and months ahead look rough.

United Airlines can do anything it wants to save its business. But we caution the airline against changing the rules after people buy tickets. Do that enough, and travelers will stop trusting you.

Coronavirus is a disaster for U.S. airlines. Some executives compare its impact to the fallout after 9/11. The big question is how long will it last? Airlines hope the revenue dip will be short-term.

If — or more likely when — coronavirus hits the United States, few travelers will act rationally. That's bad news for U.S. airlines, which could be flying empty airplanes in the not-too-distant future.

United President Scott Kirby has a reputation for being a skilled negotiator. But because of a mistake by previous management, he had little leverage with JP Morgan Chase. That makes for tough contract renewal talks.

As United waits for its Boeing 737 Max aircraft to eventually enter service, so, too, is its growth plan on hold following a solid fourth quarter. The good news is that its competitors are facing the same issue.

United may argue it isn't tweaking its delay compensation scheme to save money. But we're betting this new policy will save some cash. Still, it probably won't bother customers too much. How many of them were expecting compensation anyway?