iahflyr

Good news.

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. (AP) - United Airlines said Friday it is accelerating its recall of pilots after canceling flights last weekend when not enough pilots were available.

The nation's No. 2 carrier is recalling another 125 pilots, bringing this year' planned total to 400, spokeswoman Jean Medina said.

The airline, a parent of UAL Corp., was forced to cancel 186 flights last weekend because of a lack of available pilots.

"Our weekend reflected an aggressive flying schedule, and unfortunately severe weather on the East Coast affected crew availability," Medina said. "We did not have adequate reserve crews and as a result flights were canceled."

United regrets any inconvenience to its customers and is working to ensure that its operations can accommodate any disruptions to the summer flying schedule, she said.

HSLD

No mention of the Sr. VP of Flight Operations "retiring" in the wake of the hundreds of cancellations due to lack of flight crews. Good News indeed.

JonC

United also lost the contract to carry airmail. United has carried mail for eighty years since 1926 when the contract was granted to Varney Airlines, one of Uniteds predecessors. The reason the contract was cancelled by the USPS was given as lack of "schedule reliability".

flappy

Congrats to all being recalled !

hatetobreakit2u

what percentage of the furlougees have been sitting on their asses for the last couple years waiting for the job back and how many went elsewhere?

i heard their only getting 1 outta 3 back but any reliable numbers?

Skygirl

I'm flying 4 segments on United this week and fortunately the first 2 went well. SFO and ORD looked like a zoo on Saturday, but I had awesome experiences with United crews. Had an early flight from SFO to ORD, so I stayed at a hotel near SFO on Friday night, and ducked into the bar for a nightcap and had some friendly conversation with some United crews. The next morning I was on the shuttle with a bunch of UAL crew and one of the flight attendants grabbed my hand and said, "Come with me, you don't want to wait in that security line" and she told the TSA that I was traveling with her. She was cool! I was booked in business class on the triple 7 but they bumped me up to First and I was treated very well, and last but not least. I got on the plane and asked the FA if I could peep into the cockpit of the 777 and she smiled and said, "you'll have to ask the captain"...I meekly made my way from the first class cabin up the little hall and poked my head in and asked, "Excuse me, do you mind if I have a peep of your office?" Capt Ken and FO Wayne, couldn't have been nicer. I didn't stick around long though because they were doing their check list thing and I didn't want to be a pain in the butt.... United crews rock!...and that's all I have to say about that!

Now, those DODO's in Highland Park, I don't have anything nice to say about them. I just hope they appreciate what a nice bunch of people they have working for them, and that they have remained nice, even after they screwed them.

I've a 3 hour layover in Denver on Wednesday before I head back to SFO. I hope that there is sufficient crew for flights that day! Maybe I should write a letter addressed to the executive suite in Highland Park and circulate it and have every travel agent I know sign it? Think it would help the cause?..

Daytripper

I'm all for a shorter trip through the line..........but I wouldn't want to get caught trying to pull the wool over the TSA's eyes either. Probably no harm though.

Simply amazing they'd even have a first class seat open.

ryane946

Good to hear that flight crews can make a MAJOR difference in a customers experience!
Ah yes, the employee checkpoint down below at SFO. How many hours upon hours that checkpoint has saved me!

Those 777's seat 12 in first, 49 in business, and 197 in coach. And business is ALWAYS full. Always, always! Business travelers know to fly on the 777's. Usually there are 2 or 3 seats left in first. So you need to be at the very top of the stand-by list to get those. I have flown probably 100+ times on the 777, and I get first or coach. Only once have I ever gotten business. United caters to the important business travelers like Skygirl, and 777 domestic flights are perfect examples of that.

check6

My jumpseating experiences on United have gone quite well. The crews are very nice and I hope the best for UAL.

Daytripper

If you can't fill up a 12 seat F/C on a 777...then something isn't right. Then again...using a 777 on a domestic run????
I know, if UAL is doing it....it's gotta be right.

If I was on a business trip.....I'd feel better getting First Class. If a 777 goes out with a few open F/C seats....then a few of your premium customers didn't get an upgrade. Not good for the J.D. Power voting!

The only caveat...if there's some weird deal where B/C has better seats...food...drinks....service,etc...than F/C. Nothing would surprise me these days.