United Airlines, actually thinking of flying with them

[MemoryMakers2669]

We always fly Southwest, the best in this area. Airtran and United/Ted are the only other airlines that fly out of this area to Orlando non-stop. For our Oct. trip we are considering taking an evening flight down, but United is the only airline that offers evening flights!

Right now I can book with them for our flight down for $92.40 each way, per person. Southwest and Airtran would run us $20-$30 less per ticket, but we can't go down until the morning flights the next day. (can't miss another day of school, but need to be there early on our first day)

My question is, how is United doing? Any concerns about them going under? I hate to buy air so far out and then be sorry. Especially if we change our minds. How are they about keeping their schedules?? Like Airtran changes their constantly and I wouldn't trust them at all not to change or cancel our flight.

 

[Armadillo4]

My question is, how is United doing? Any concerns about them going under? I hate to buy air so far out and then be sorry. Especially if we change our minds. How are they about keeping their schedules?? Like Airtran changes their constantly and I wouldn't trust them at all not to change or cancel our flight.

I fly United all the time from the west coast to MCO for Disney trips and IAD for family visits. Financially, they're doing ok. Not good, but not horrendously bad either. The airline posted a small operating profit for the last quarter, but the parent company posted a loss. I'm not smart enough with business organizations to understand how the two can split their earnings report. But there it is. I wouldn't worry about them going under...at least until after your trip.

However, you've identified one risk with booking with United (or any other airline) this far in advance. With most airlines, booking 9-10 months out increases the chance of your flight being changed. United won't outright cancel your flight (at least I don't think they will), without putting you on another flight. There was a similar thread about Delta flight reservations changing. Someone on that thread said it best about booking far out in advance: "When you book 10 months advance, you are booking anticipated flights, not scheduled flights." On the surface, that may not make a lot of sense, but then again, I don't run airlines so I'm not in a position to question it. That may be a reason why Southwest only releases flights just a few months in advance. And they consistently show a profit.

 

[bicker]

"When you book 10 months advance, you are booking anticipated flights, not scheduled flights." On the surface, that may not make a lot of sense, but then again, I don't run airlines so I'm not in a position to question it.

I don't run airlines, but I have worked for people who did. Flight schedules are based on a very comprehensive and complex set of parameters; think of the computation as hundreds of thousands of formulas, that all need to be solved so that they collectively result in the most optimal result. Some of the parameters involve forecasted load, i.e., how many people want to fly from City X to City Y. Also, some of the parameters involve economic considerations, i.e., how much are people willing to pay for what. The forecasts for these parameters changes over time (people fly more or less due to economic and safety considerations, for example, and to different destinations due to marketing and safety considerations), and so the optimal combination of parameters changes based on changes to the forecast. Also, sometimes operational considerations change (unforeseen loss of use of equipment, changes in staffing dynamics, etc.)

That's why flight schedules change.

That may be a reason why Southwest only releases flights just a few months in advance. And they consistently show a profit.

These are actually somewhat related. Dealing with passengers when flight schedules change has a small cost associated with it. However, the main reason why Southwest shows a profit these days is because of their high utilization (their aircraft are in the air a greater percentage of time, and on the ground a lesser percentage of time), and the fact that they locked-in the price they're paying for a lot of the fuel they bought in 2003.

 

[bavaria]

United is doing very well, and has emerged from bankruptcy protection by focussing on business travellers.

I fly them almost weekly.

do note however that they really do focus on their frequent flyers and business travellers; on a recent flight ORD-MCO I was in row 1, and a lot of families boarded with children and asked to be reseated. The FAs (who were admittedly not the best of Uniteds staff) just told them to ask other passengers.

United also does not preboard families with children, just their most frequent flyers and those requiring special assistance due to medical needs.

As a business traveller I am extremely loyal to United; as an infrequent leisure traveller your experience may be different.

 

[bavaria]

and just to show how different travellers have different needs and motivations, you call Southwest 'the best in the area'. I don't see myself flying SW anytime in the future as they don't meet my motivations. But they obviously meet your needs and that is why you call them the best.

I fly United for my double miles, preboarding, extra leg room, upgrade certificates. As an infrequent leisure traveller, you won't get any of these until you reach certain frequent flyer levels, and the ticket may cost you more than other carriers which focus on leisure travel.

That's just the reality of two different business models.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

Yes, I say they are the best, because they consistantly meet my main need...low fares! They have also never once changed a flight i have booked, by even a minute. Unlike Airtran! Since United is usually nearly twice the price, I would never even consider flying with them. But this next trip our main focus, at least on the way to Orlando, is the flight time...and United has it. I am worried though about waiting too long to book with them and the price going way up. Hopefully SW will add some flight times to their schedule and offer something later in the day.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

Oh and I did notice that United has blocked out on every single flight, the first 12 rows of their planes. I assume that is what you are talking about, their catering to their ff members.

 

[jennib5426]

I have always flown United/Ted to MCO from NOVA. I have always had an on time, pleasent experience. In March I will be flying SW one way and United one way because of the flight times. Give United/Ted a try, I think you will be just as happy as you are on SW.

The reason the first 12 rows are blocked on United/Ted flights is because that is Economy plus seats. People pay extra for these or are upgraded. If they are not booked at check in they may offer you an upgrade to Economy Plus for about $20. Many airlines do this now.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

I usually fly Southwest out of BWI, but on my last trip we flew Ted from IAD. When I booked Ted had better flight times available.

I can't tell you how nice it was to (a) have an assigned seat; and (b) not have to watch 50 people preboard with the 5 little kids on the flight and worry that you won't find 3 seats together. I love Southwest's prices but the open seating never fails to annoy me.

I think we'll fly Ted more often, even if it costs us $100 more R/T.

BTW...OP, you can also fly nonstop from DCA on US Air. We haven't done it because who wants to go to National, but it is an option.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I would fly United over SWA any day. You can't beat the legroom in Economy Plus!

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

Right now we get to pre-board with SW, so it works great for us. That will only last two more years though, so we might just have to fly other carriers if it is an issue. I doubt seriously we would pay an extra $100 each round trip though for the convenience of a seat assignment!

National isn't worth it, plain and simple. I won't even bother with BWI anymore now that SW is at Dulles. For our December trip we could have saved a good bit going out of BWI, but it was worth the extra for Dulles.

 

[n2mm]

Oh and I did notice that United has blocked out on every single flight, the first 12 rows of their planes. I assume that is what you are talking about, their catering to their ff members.

The first 12 rows are economy PLUS. They cost more money. I fly out of IAD all of the time and have been on Ted ever since FlyI went away. I've yet to try SW out of Dulles, but the fares on TED have been pretty high lately for the times I want for early May, so am considering fly down on SW and back on Ted. (Why you ask? Because Ted is part of the resort airline checkin at WDW and you can check your bags and get your boarding pass. You can't do this with SW -- yet).

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

We always rent a van, so DME check in means nothing to us.

 

[ransom]

We flew United last month (actually, Ted) and we liked it so much, we bought the company!

Er, no. Sorry.

But we did enjoy it! As others have said, the Economy Plus seats with their extra 5" of leg room are pretty sweet. Plus, boarding was a breeze.

On the subject of flights changing, ours did change last year between when we bought the tickets (August) to when we flew (December). I believe it was originally scheduled to be a 7:30 AM flight out of O'Hare, but gradually shifted back by 5 minutes or so at a time until it became a 7:00 AM flight.

So, of course we bought our tickets for December of this year just last weekend. It'll be interesting to see how things change over the coming months.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

We always rent a van, so DME check in means nothing to us.

Your only concern this trip is the time involved, and not the fare. Either pay a bit extra to fly United the time you want (evening) or fly Southwest the next day. Only you can decide which is more important to you, time in WDW when you want to be there, or the money. Southwest is a good airline, but they don't offer everything. United may not be your favorite, but they have the flight you supposedly need (want.)

United is out of bankruptcy and has posted a profit in the most recent reporting quarter, I believe. Book the tickets and be done with your dilemma.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

I have no issues with United, just their prices. For Oct. we are going down for Halloween, ON Halloween. So, thinking of going down on the 30th, in the evening to avoid the exhaustion so we can enjoy MNSSHP!

Thanks for all the comments on this, I feel better that United isn't having any financial issues.

 

[ricktib]

United also does not preboard families with children, just their most frequent flyers and those requiring special assistance due to medical needs.

They may not specifically offer for families to preboard in their announcement, but I don't believe they would deny you if you asked.

We flew United last month (actually, Ted) and we liked it so much, we bought the company!

So you're the one! Can I have a raise? Just up to what I made six years ago will be fine.

And to the OP, United's recently-announced profit for 2006 was $447 million (and would have been about $40 million higher if not for the holiday storms in their Denver & Chicago hubs).

 

[ransom]

So you're the one! Can I have a raise? Just up to what I made six years ago will be fine.

What are you, some kind of socialist?

Sheesh!

Don't you realize that the profits go to the people at the top first? Then they trickle down to you!

Eventually. Somehow.

You see, the trickle effect is a very mysterious and natural process that shouldn't be messed with by mere mortals.

Whereas what you're proposing is like handing out candy on a street corner. And you know children shouldn't take candy from strangers. What are you, some kind of pervert?

Sheesh!

 

[n2mm]

United also does not preboard families with children, just their most frequent flyers and those requiring special assistance due to medical needs.

Sometimes they do when we are leaving Dulles, but never when we are leaving Orlando. I think it mostly depends on how many kids are there. My daughter was allowed to preboard with an infant and carseat last year, but was not offered preboarding on her last couple of trips recently. Just recently she was a zone 4 and was the last person to board with the baby -- sort of the opposite of preboarding, we were getting worried that she got left behind....

 

[Disneytrip]

OK, so we have booked Jet Blue but they contacted me about seat reconfiguration on our flight and have offered a United Air flight down instead, first class for half the flight. So how is United Air? Do they have tv's? concerned about safety and how consistent they are with flights too. thanks.