Chicago, Ill., September 15, 2008 – Pilots for United Airlines (Nasdaq: UAUA) said today that they strongly oppose the airline’s plan to double the fee it charges passengers for checking a second bag, which essentially raises taxes on passengers at a time when a stimulus is needed.

“There they go again,” said Captain Steve Wallach, Chairman of the United Chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association. “The management at United should be trying to improve conditions for passengers, not finding backhanded ways to charge them more. Passengers do not like hidden fees, for good reason: It makes them feel like they’re getting taken advantage of.”

Captain Wallach said that the proposed new costs would most impact families and people traveling on vacation. Instead of punishing our passengers, he said, the airline should try to reduce overhead costs, rationalize prices and flight schedules, and eliminate excessive perks and bonuses for executives. Continuing to nickel and dime our customers, he added, is a great strategy to get them to fly on another airline.

Captain Wallach said the proposed changes are yet another bad decision made by United CEO Glenn Tilton and his executives.

The United pilots have set up a petition on its website www.GlennTilton.com for United passengers to demand the removal of these changes, and to restore the service passengers once expected from United Airlines.

I am liking the United MEC. They are taking every opportunity to kick Tilton in the balls and make it personal. I wish AA would do the same for Arpey.

Balls? I didn't think Tilton had any. Heck for that matter, I'm not sure there is any blood in his vains to bleed.

When someone says off the cuff that Tilton is trying to put the airline in Chapter 7, that the line between saying it and him actually seemingly doing it becomes meshed into one. Every decision that he makes seems to alienate the customer even more and causing more and more people to bail on UA for other carriers. It really is baffling on what is going on with him.

I think that Tilton is just trying to find a way, any way, to keep United afloat with the fuel costs being what they are. We were all happy to see the price of oil drop from the ridiculous highs we saw this summer, and while $90.00 to $100.00 a barrel is some relief, the bleeding continues. I believe that United's post bankruptcy business plan was based upon fuel costs somewhat south of what they are today.
I'm not defending Tilton by any means, I just don't know what else they can do. They've announced a reduction in capacity and are planning ( or threatening, if they want to re negotiate the leases) to park a bunch of airframes. What a business...

Actually, I wish pilots in general would tell the US Government to "stop taxing our passengers.". The fee's the federal government levels on the flying public are ridiculous.

First you have to pay for government to provide security from terrorists via an extra ticket fee. Then the TSA steals all your liquids. Then the airport vendors charge outrageous fees for water . . . a nice little monopoly legalized by the local airport authority. And so on, and so forth.

/off rant.

Although oil came down, if the economy doesn't turn around we're in for a long ride.

Airlines currently have no relief! While oil is down in the $90s, Jetfuel as of yesterday was around $170.00 a barrel.

AAflyer

While is coming down, so is the financial foundation. Lehman, AIG, added to the list of distressed banking and housing institutions. Not to mention a national debt that is out of control.


AAflyer

BURN IT! Burn it to the ground!