Members of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA protest United Airlines at O’Hare International Airport on Dec. 13, 2018 in Chicago. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

The weather outside is frightful, and working conditions for United Airlines employees are apparently less than delightful, as evidenced by recent protests.

Impending staffing cuts, effective in early 2019, recently drove over 24,000 flight attendants to an international “Day of Action,” TravelPulse reports.

Impending staffing cuts, effective in early 2019, recently drove over 24,000 flight attendants to protest the airline during an international “Day of Action.”
(Scott Olson/Getty Images)

On Dec. 13, United flight attendants and cabin crew members united to picket at air hubs around the world – including Washington, Boston, Chicago, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Frankfurt, Germany – regarding the forthcoming cuts, The Los Angeles Times reports.

The weather outside is frightful, and working conditions are apparently less than delightful for United Airlines employees.
(iStock)

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According to the outlet, the campaign was organized by Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), which represents over 50,000 flight attendants employed at 20 airlines. As of February 2019, United will operate international flights with 10 flight attendants — one staffer down from the current 11. Staffers removed from those trips do not face termination, but instead will be assigned to other trips, as per the Times.

While reps for the carrier did not immediately return Fox News’ request for comment, a spokesperson did confirm to the Times that United’s decision is meant to align the airline’s staffing levels with those of its competitors, namely Delta Air Lines and American Airlines.

Meanwhile, some insiders don’t quite agree.

“We need them there. They’re our eyes. It’s about safety,” a 20-year United flight attendant who picketed outside Newark Liberty International Airport told CNBC.

An AFA exec, too, voiced similar sentiments, arguing that not only was United was prioritizing its financial interests above passenger safety, but that the staffing cut announcement served as a tipping point of frustration for many United employees on top of other long-running issues.

“Instead of leading U.S. carriers and distinguishing United Airlines with superior safety and enhanced customer service, the airline is lowering its standards to follow American and Delta,” Ken Diaz, President of AFA’s United Master Executive Council, said in a press release ahead of the Day of Action. “This is not the way to say we love our passengers.”

“When United is making record profits, it should not be cutting back on the people who are on the front lines of safeguarding and serving passengers. A profitable major airline should not be rushing to reduce customer service,” he continued. “The staffing cut announcement was the straw that broke the camel’s back. We are calling on this management to fix computer glitches, eliminate inhumane schedules, and increase staffing so we have the necessary tools to focus on the best experience for the traveling public.”

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“We are an airline. Not a hedge fund,” one protest sign read, as per the AFA’s Twitter account.

“Staffing cuts affect safety and service.”

The carrier is also said to be cracking down on uniform rules regarding holiday accessories for its staffers through the next few weeks as well.

The Chicago-based carrier reportedly wants staffers to keep it professional as they get into the holiday spirit, according to a newly released memo on “Holiday Adornment” described in the LA Times.

Though “head adornments (i.e., antlers, santa hats, halos, etc.); holiday vests or sweaters; holiday aprons: holiday hosiery,” are banned, “conservative” holiday scarves, earrings, ties and pins are allowed.

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A rep for United told the Times that such a memo is released this time every year.

CLOSE

A United Airlines “Fantasy Flight” took kids from Newark Airport to the North Pole for a visit with Santa on Wednesday, December 12, 2018.
Amy Newman, NorthJersey

Halfway through the flight from Newark to the North Pole, there was a long-awaited sighting.

“A sleigh with six reindeer has been spotted to the right of the aircraft,” the plane captain announced.

Chants of “Santa! Santa! Santa!” rippled through the cabin.

Almost there.

At noon, after an hour-long trip to Rochester, New York, and back, the jet touched down at Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal C, or, as it became known on Wednesday, the North Pole.

The 45 children aboard United Airlines’ annual Fantasy Flight to the North Pole screamed in delight.

“SANTA! SANTA! SANTA!”

Santa Claus was waiting for the travelers, all patients from Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, University Hospital and Trinitas Regional Medical Center, with open arms.

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HONOLULU (KHON2) – Flight attendants for United Airlines are planning to protest at airports around the world Thursday. 

They are upset over staffing cuts. 

There are 16 planned demonstrations including at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport and other airports in Los Angeles, Washington, London and Tokyo. 

United Airlines said it does not expect any flight delays because of the protests. 

Passengers are encouraged to check their flight status before heading to the airport.

CHICAGO, Dec 12 (Reuters) – United Airlines Chief Executive Officer Oscar Munoz said on Wednesday he was “not concerned” about the future of the No. 3 U.S. carrier’s joint venture with Colombia’s Avianca Holdings and Panama’s Copa Airlines.

The comment followed news on Tuesday that a separate carrier, Avianca Brasil, had filed for bankruptcy protection. Avianca Brasil is owned by holding company Synergy Group, which also controls Colombia’s better-known Avianca Holdings.

United extended a $456 million loan to Synergy Group last month as part of its planned joint venture.

Reporting by Tracy Rucinski, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien

While griping about airlines may be at an all-time high, people are actually pretty happy with them overall. That in part has to do with all those flash sales, cheaper options that let you customize your flight, and economy fares. Economy fares were a great innovation, but things that good can’t be that good for long. 

Starting on Friday, United Airlines will charge extra for some economy seats that come with no extra perks. The new category of “preferred seating” is being introduced, which CNBC reports comes with neither extra legroom nor a glorious ceremonial robe. They’re just the economy seats located behind the Economy Plus section, which means you’ll get to leave the aircraft approximately 90 seconds sooner while deplaning. There are no details on how much more these will cost yet.

In the airline’s defense, United isn’t alone in this. American and Delta both recently started charging for preferred seats. CNBC points out that prices for those vary a lot between the plane, route, and demand, but on one representative Delta flight, it resulted in an $80 price difference. 

While we’re mentioning bad things, the airline also announced that it’s retooling basic economy service on several trans-Atlantic routes. On those, basic economy passengers will only be permitted a single carry-on bag and will be paying for any checked luggage.

It’s also worth noting, though, that starting Tuesday, basic economy tickets will apply toward elite status in the United MileagePlus frequent flyer program. Flying basic economy, you’ll earn 50% of the qualifying miles and half of a qualifying segment for each flight, with the price of the ticket fully applied. So if you try to make the most of your miles, there is some good news.

One solution is not selecting those pricier seats, but the more traditional route would be to just gripe about it. 

h/t CNBC, Travel Leisure

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Attendants for United Airlines are planning to protest on Dec. 13. at airports across the country.

McCarran International Airport is one of the dozens of airports where the protests will be taking place.

Forbes magazine says that flight attendants were informed that there would be cuts last month. The cuts will affect attendants working United’s international business class service.

The union says that staffing cuts means fewer jobs and, more importantly, could affect the safety of passengers.

The union says that the protests are not expected to impact customers.

Video

Airplane passenger suffer from seizure

A passenger on a flight from Houston to Cincinnati has a seizure during duration of flight.

A passenger on a United Express flight from Houston to Cincinnati is hailing another passenger as a hero — and criticizing the crew for not cutting the flight short — after another flyer suffered seizures shortly after the plane took off Sunday.

Amy Hammond, of Mason, Ohio, wrote in a Facebook post that the unidentified woman was traveling with her young son when she passed out as the plane was ascending.

“The HERO in front of her, hopped back and started yelling for a doctor,” Hammond wrote. “No one came. Do we turn around? No!” She added that the woman regained consciousness before suffering the first of a series of seizures.

“She had seizures and passed out the entire flight — dozens of times — from take off till landing!” Hammond claimed. “Over 2 hours!” She also claimed that the woman’s “hero” continuously worked to revive her “while drinks were carried over him in the aisle.”

In a video accompanying Hammond’s post, the woman’s head could be seen moving from side-to-side while a voice over the loudspeaker announced the plane would land in approximately 30 minutes.

By the time the plane landed, Hammond wrote, the woman “did not know who the president was or the month or day of the week.”

FLIERS STOP TO SING NATIONAL ANTHEM AT BUSY AIRPORT

As she left the plane, Hammond said she confronted the pilot about why the plane kept going despite the apparent emergency.

“The pilot said he made the decision,” Hammond wrote. “I told him we had to watch a young mom convulse and pass out over and over for 2 hours!”

Republic Airlines operated the flight under the United Express name.

PASSENGER WHO GAVE UP FIRST-CLASS SEAT FOR MOM, BABY SPEAKS OUT: ‘I WAS TEARING UP’ 

“The safety of our customers is our first and highest priority,” Republic Airlines spokesman Jon Austin told Fox News in an email. “The decision to continue to the flight’s destination was made by our crew who did the right thing by working with medical personnel onboard, with our on-call medical service provider and with input from the passenger. Had it been the judgment of the medical professionals that another course of action was indicated, we would have followed that recommendation immediately.

“We’re grateful to all of our passengers who assisted in responding to their fellow passenger’s situation, including the numerous medical professionals on board who volunteered their services when asked.”

United Continental Holdings’ (UAL – Free Report) wholly owned subsidiary, United Airlines, reported strong traffic figures for November, following which shares of the company increased 1.6% in after-hours trading on Dec 10. Consolidated traffic, measured in revenue passenger miles (RPMs), was 18.23 billion, up 7.1% from the year-ago figure.

Consolidated capacity (or available seat miles/ASMs) rose 5.5% on a year-over-year basis to 21.96 billion. Also, load factor (percentage of seats occupied by passengers) expanded 120 basis points (bps) to 83% as traffic growth outpaced capacity expansion. Notably, this is the carrier’s seventh consecutive month of load factor increase.

At the end of the first 11 months of 2018, the carrier registered a 6.4% increase in RPMs to 210.83 billion, while ASMs climbed 4.8% to 251.89 billion both on a year-over-year basis. As a result, load factor improved 130 bps to 83.7%. The company posted an on-time performance of 66.9% and a completion factor of 99% for November.

United Continental Holdings, Inc. Price

United Continental Holdings, Inc. Price | United Continental Holdings, Inc. Quote

Apart from solid traffic figures, the carrier’s expansion initiatives are encouraging. Most recently, the Chicago, IL-based airline entered into a joint business agreement (JBA) with Copa Holdings (CPA – Free Report) and Avianca (including several of its affiliates). The JBA, on approval from the government, is anticipated to facilitate travel experience between the United States and 19 countries in Central and South America. (Read more: United Continental Arm Inks Deal to Boost Latin American Base)

Zacks Rank Key Picks

United Continental carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked stocks in the same space are Air France-KLM (AFLYY – Free Report) and Spirit Airlines (SAVE – Free Report) , both sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Shares of Air France-KLM and Spirit have rallied more than 26% and 60%, respectively, in the past six months.

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