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United CEO Wants to 'De-Stress the Travel Lifestyle'

Oct. 11, 2018
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3 min read
United Airlines Chief Executive Officer Oscar Munoz
United CEO Wants to 'De-Stress the Travel Lifestyle'
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United Airlines wants to "de-stress the travel lifestyle," according to CEO Oscar Munoz.

“We want to make you, as our customer, feel good about flying us,” Munoz told CNBC in September. “And so our customer-centricity, our customer properties, are something we really want to sort of engage."

The controversy-ridden US carrier plans to do so by implementing and rolling out new customer service initiatives every week. [TPG has reached out to the airline for comment, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.]

According to Munoz, the initiatives will focus on ways to improve airline-passenger communication, including updates for irregular operations. The airline also wants to figure out how to notify travelers of delays far enough in advance that they may not even have to make a futile trip to the airport.

“How do we keep you informed? How do we keep you focused and directed when something goes wrong?” Munoz said. "But, more importantly, before you even leave your house, you know your flight's on time, you know where you're headed."

Munoz also admitted that United customers have experienced "a whole host of communicative issues" with the airline in recent years, claiming that increasing baggage fees will help fund some of the planned initiatives.

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"It's important to reinvest in the business," he said. "I think it's one of the things about this industry that people, our customers, don't always understand. All that money that we're getting back is being piled back into the business... for the right things. We want to make you, as our customer, feel good about flying us. And so our customer-centricity, our customer properties, are something we really want to sort of engage."

The airline no doubt is anxious to reclaim its reputation for "friendly skies" after a series of snafus in recent years. In 2017, United was sharply criticized for its handling of the #Bumpgate controversy, in which a man traveling on a revenue ticket was forcibly dragged off of a flight that was overbooked. In 2018, the airline has also faced lawsuits over a puppy that died in an overhead bin and multiple allegations of sexual harassment or assault, both from passengers as well as by employees. Furthermore, the airline has come under fire after flight attendants shamed a baby and its mother and landed a three-year-old in French immigration detention.

Featured image by Getty Images

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.