United Airlines fired over 35 employees after the company discovered they were selling their employee travel passes for profit.

Employee travel perks, like travel passes, are intended for employees and their friends or family, but following an investigation, the airline “uncovered a brokering scheme where employees were soliciting pass travel privileges from their colleagues to put up for sale.”

USA TODAY obtained an article on United’s internal site that explained just how the airline learned of the dealings.

“United employees at the gate noticed something fishy about a particular group of nine non-revenue pass riders,” the company said.

“The three families, who were traveling internationally, stated that they had ‘paid for’ first class tickets – but they were on non-revenue reservations and were unable to provide the names of the employees who had provided the tickets.”

According to the company, “Some of the employees who gave up their passes received payment, while others were deceived into giving away their pass travel privileges based on the pretext that the passes were for a good friend or a relative (although even that would be against the rules).”

United spokesperson Frank Benenati told USA TODAY: “Enjoying flying privileges is a unique and special advantage of working at an airline, and it is intended only for our employees and their friends and family. We have clear rules on flying privileges so we can all fairly enjoy this benefit.”

The 35 employees involved were fired, though United noted that “some claimed that they believed that what they were doing was OK, since they had pass travel privileges that weren’t being used.”

In the internal article, United reminded employees of the rules surrounding the travel passes.

“Don’t let something like this happen to you,” the airline continued. “Your pass travel privileges are intended for use only by you and your friends and family members. While you can be reimbursed by your pass riders for any taxes, fees and imputed income for their travel, charging above that amount is not allowed – and selling pass travel or trading for goods or services isn’t either.”

It’s the airport equivalent of road rage: You race to your gate on a tight connection to see the door shut and your plane inching backwards.

One reason gate agents are so strict about that closed door is an airline metric called “D-0” (D-zero), which designates a flight that departs at exactly the scheduled time. The industry—and government regulators—rigorously monitor this metric to see which carriers operate reliably and which don’t.

Aiming to alleviate at least some of this pain, United Continental Holdings Inc. is testing a program called “Dynamic D-0” at its Denver hub to empower gate agents to delay a departure to accommodate customers and employees rushing to a connecting flight.

The system “tells an employee, tells customers, ‘Hey, here’s five or six customers that are coming to this connection; they’re going to be five minutes late, but we know we can make up the time in flight on this particular flight,’” United President Scott Kirby said Tuesday at an investor conference. “Sometimes we can’t, and we don’t hold the airplane.”

Typically, about a quarter of United’s flights arrive 10 or more minutes early, meaning they can make up a slight departure delay in transit. The new software examines flights in this group and coordinates the data with United’s connecting passenger roster as a way to decide which departures can be allowed to slip. United’s operations center then identifies the flights to hold and alerts gate agents.

The testing has saved thousands of connecting passengers from missing a flight, Kirby said. The new system’s flight holds are likely to have “minimal impact on performance as the flights are expected to arrive on time, even with the hold,” United spokeswoman Erin Benson said. United will expand the automation to other large airports later this year, and eventually use it on all of its flights, mainline and regional, worldwide.

Punctual departures have become far more critical as U.S. airlines work to boost their schedule reliability, an attribute that such carriers as Delta Air Lines Inc. and Spirit Airlines Inc. have increasingly touted as a way to win customers. Industrywide, 79.1 percent of U.S. airline flights arrived on time last year through November, the latest month for which federal statistics are available.

The world’s largest carrier, American Airlines Group Inc., has focused zealously on its D-0 performance after struggling with delayed flights for more than a year.

The company, which ranked seventh of 10 carriers for on-time flying last year (77.3 percent) has set a D-0 target of 69.7 percent for 2019. Delays of several minutes for one flight can ripple through the hub-and-spoke carrier’s system, jeopardizing connecting operations later in the day, said Ross Feinstein, an American spokesman.

Some American pilots and gate agents have complained that the airline’s push to improve its D-0 rate has left passengers standing at gates and, in some cases, bags belonging to those who made it aboard not loaded onto an aircraft.

“One minute late off the gate being a failure is a setup for a pressure cooker that does not serve our passengers well,” said Dennis Tajer, an American captain and spokesman for the airline’s pilots union. “We’ve seen it before, where we left passengers behind at the gate just to get off the gate on time.”

Feinstein said those left at gates are usually American employees who are flying for free.

Chicago-based United, which was in sixth place through November (77.9 percent), has made better on-time flight performance a crucial aspect of its effort to lure back customers lost during its rocky merger with Continental.

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United Airlines’ catering workers successfully fought to join a union, and now they’re rallying at Bush Intercontinental Airport ahead of contract negotiations set to being March 13.

Chicago-based United has 2,700 catering workers in five cities across the U.S. With more than 800 in Houston, local workers are set to picket at the corner of John F. Kennedy Boulevard and Greens Road on Friday.

Related: United Airlines’ catering workers to join the Unite Here union

They’re seeking raises and benefits comparable to United’s other departments. Workers previously told the Chronicle they’d like to make at least $12 an hour.

The workers voted in October to join the Unite Here union. This will be their first contract negotiation.

In a statement, United said it’s “committed to treating all of our employees fairly, providing them with competitive compensation and industry-leading benefits and creating a safe, supportive work environment. We look forward to working with Unite Here during these negotiations.”

United Airlines just announced it’s adding 1,600 premium seats to try and get more premium passengers. Buzz60’s Sean Dowling has more.
Buzz60

A plane is refueled at the Casper/Natrona County International Airport Jan. 3, 2018. United Airlines will be adding a fifth flight from the airport to Denver later this month.

It’s the airport equivalent of road rage: You race to your gate on a tight connection to see the door shut and your plane inching backward.

One reason gate agents are so strict about that closed door is an airline metric called “D-0” (D-zero), which designates a flight that departs at exactly the scheduled time. The industry-and government regulators-rigorously monitor this metric to see which carriers operate reliably and which don’t.

Aiming to alleviate at least some of this pain, United Airlines is testing a program called “Dynamic D-0” at its Denver hub to empower gate agents to delay a departure to accommodate customers and employees rushing to a connecting flight.

The system “tells an employee, tells customers, ‘Hey, here’s five or six customers that are coming to this connection; they’re going to be five minutes late, but we know we can make up the time in flight on this particular flight,'” United President Scott Kirby said Tuesday at an investor conference. “Sometimes we can’t, and we don’t hold the airplane.”

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At the North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB), we’re more than just an airport. We’re the starting point to your adventure and an ending point after a business trip.

We’re the front door to the community. An unparalleled economic engine employing thousands of your neighbors. We’re your community partner. A place where memories begin and dreams are born. CKB is a place where the sky is the limit; literally.

At the North Central West Virginia Airport, we exist to serve as your gateway to the things which matter the most to you.

As the premier, public-use airport located in Bridgeport, West Virginia, we serve all of the mid-Ohio valley. Home to the longest commercial service runway in West Virginia, CKB is conveniently situated in the middle of the I-79 High Tech corridor, providing easy access between Charleston and Pittsburgh.

The Airport is owned and operated by the Benedum Airport Authority and is currently served by two commercial airlines; Allegiant and United Airlines. At CKB, our passengers and customers are our No. 1 priority. Your successful travel experiences are key to our success and we aim to please.

Allegiant offers less than daily service to Orlando/Sanford, FL and seasonal, flights to Myrtle Beach, S.C. United Airlines offers global connectivity through their hubs of Chicago O’Hare and Washington Dulles.

Beginning this spring, United Airlines will offer an additional weekend flight to Washington Dulles providing even more flexibility for local travelers. Whether you have a business trip planned or are looking to book a family vacation, North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB) and our airline partners can help you get there.

With passenger amenities such as free parking, short security lines, and an easy to use terminal, north central West Virginia travelers can fly comfortably from the convenience of their local airport. World-renowned West Virginia University is a mere 30 minutes from the airport making CKB a fantastic option for Mountaineer fans to use when visiting friends, family, or taking in a game.

In addition, the Airport is a significant economic engine for the region with a local economic output of over $1 billion (as found in a 2014 study). Home to the growing Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex (MAAC), CKB proudly provides first-rate maintenance, overhaul, manufacturing, and training services for the aerospace industry and is home to world renown tenants. These tenants, in turn, employ the best and brightest individuals allowing our regional population to grow and thrive.

At CKB, we are much more than an airport; we are the region’s front door to West Virginia. For more information on the airport or to book travel, visit flyckb.com today. We’ll be waiting for you.

United has announced a new unlikely business policy, delaying their own flights on purpose to ensure passengers make connections.

This is one of many new policies being launched by United Airlines President Scott Kirby to put customers first, above on-time statistics and other metrics.

United’s first Boeing 787-10 entered regular service earlier this month. Photo: United Airlines.

What are the details?

Speaking at the JP Morgan Aviation, Transportation, Industrials Conference, Scott Kirby revealed that to win customers business, United will be focusing on better service rather than lowest cost.

This means a reshuffle of United’s core four metrics; Aircraft Safety as number one, followed by Customer Comfort as a close second, with both Operations and Efficiency bringing up the rear.

United Airlines Boeing 737. Photo: United Airlines.

As fellow publication View From The Wing discussed, United intends to roll out this comfort focus with the following new policies:

• Delaying flights to ensure connections. If a few passengers are flying in other United flights and their plane is running late, United will delay their connecting flight to ensure they reach their destination. This is rather great for those passengers with short nail-biting delays, of only around 5-10 minutes, that could easily be made up in the air on their second leg. However, how this will be implemented is a little tricky, as gate agents or pilots may not have all the operational information in front of them. A simple delay of 15 minutes in one small regional airport could cascade throughout the United network.
• Real-time detailed information. Instead of just delaying or canceling a flight due to ‘weather’ or ‘maintenance’, United will endeavor to explain delays in as much detail as possible to passengers and give them accurate contingency information. This will include problems with aircraft, delays for other passengers like above, and even geographical details of weather delays
• Investment in lounges. United is also investing more in their lounges in order to give customers who are waiting for their flights a better experience.
• New aircraft. United has also revealed that they will be operating a new jet from Bombardier that only sits 50 passengers, focusing on comfort rather than increased capacity.
• Investment in premium for regional carriers. Whilst United has always offered a range of premium products for its long-haul services, it’s short-haul operations have actually had a limited capacity for premium travelers. United has decided to roll out more seats (and bring some its newer premium seats) for its A319, 767, and CRJ-700. They are also adding premium economy to their 767 fleet.

The United Polaris cabin. Source: United

Also during the conference, Scott also discussed how previous United management made the mistake of leaving JFK airport. He lambasted that it costed United lucrative international contracts for passengers flying onwards to London and other European destinations. Whether or not this is a precursor to United to operating back to JFK remains to be seen.

“You can probably personally blame me, at least to some degree, for the fact that United pulled out,” Scott Kirby in 2017. “When I was at American Airlines, we were consciously trying to push United out of JFK. That was our goal.”

What do you think of these new comforts for United passengers? Let us know in the comments. 

SANTA ROSA, Calif., March 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Charles M. Schulz — Sonoma County Airport (STS) is excited to celebrate United Airlines’ daily nonstop service to and from Denver, Colorado. The inaugural Denver flight is scheduled to land at STS at 11:57 a.m., and depart STS at 12:30 p.m. beginning Friday, March 8. Celebratory signage, flowers and balloons will be placed throughout the Airport, and Denver passengers will be presented with Wine Country goody bags.

The United Airlines service from Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport (STS) to Denver International Airport (DEN) has been in the works for several years. Expansion of air service to/from Wine Country is a strategic move for both United and STS. Denver and Sonoma County are popular tourism and business destinations, and Denver is a major United hub where STS travelers can connect to over 145 destinations on United Airline’s expansive worldwide network. Tickets for these daily flights are available for purchase at http://www.united.com.

“We’re excited to launch this new flight between Sonoma and Denver, giving Wine Country residents numerous options to connect through our midcontinent Denver hub to destinations all over the globe,” United President of California Janet Lamkin said. “Additionally, the new flight makes it easier for customers in the Midwest and East Coast to plan Wine Country vacations. We are committed to connecting our California customers to all the places they want to go, while bringing the world to California.”

“These Denver flights into Sonoma County are the result of many years of effort by multiple partners toward the goal of service to a midcontinent hub. Through Denver, the Midwest and East Coast are just one stop away from STS. Cheers to a job well done, and to a flight that I personally have looked forward to!” Fourth District Supervisor James Gore said.

“Denver represents an exciting hub for connecting both domestic and international visitors to Sonoma County,” says Claudia Vecchio, president/CEO, Sonoma County Tourism. “We applaud the airport team for continuing to expand service into Santa Rosa and working to enhance partnerships with major carriers such as United Airlines.”

“We are thrilled that United Airlines is making a new investment at Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport,” said Peter Rumble, CEO of the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber. “It is gratifying for airlines to see what we already know – Santa Rosa is a great place to do business. United Airlines’ expanded schedule supports our tourism and technology sectors and gives locals a great option for traveling to Colorado or internationally.”

Media invited to greet arriving passengers

Media that would like to attend the event should contact STS Marketing Specialist Gina Stocker at Gina.Stocker@sonoma-county.org or call (707) 565-7241 by Thursday, March 7 at 5 p.m. to arrange airfield attendance.

About Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport (STS)

Located in the heart of Northern California’s world-renowned Wine Country, STS is the only airport that offers scheduled air service into the North Bay region. Daily nonstop flights include: Alaska Airlines to Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Portland, and Seattle; American Airlines to Dallas (2019), Los Angeles (2019), and Phoenix Sky Harbor; seasonal flights on Sun Country Airlines to Minnesota and Las Vegas, and United Airlines to Denver and San Francisco. All Airlines offer a wide range of connecting flights to destinations in the continental U.S., Mexico, and beyond.

The Airport features six on-site rental car agencies, convenient ground transportation, easy and affordable parking with electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, the on-site Sky Lounge Steakhouse Sushi Bar, and much more.

For further information, journalists are asked to contact Airport Manager Jon Stout at jon.stout@sonoma-county.org or (707) 565-7243.

For additional airport information, follow Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport