Is United Airlines a nice airline?
United Airlines is a major airline and a member of the Star Alliance which is the largest global alliance of airlines. It has one of the biggest networks of routes to several destinations throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. However, over the years, United has grown considerably and has an international presence, and in the last few years, it has gained a rather negative image due to some unfortunate events and has remained at the bottom in the ranks of quality and satisfaction surveys.
April 2017 saw the most recent United issue involving a passenger when overbooking caused a guy to be hauled off the aircraft. Several passengers watched in horror as a video that emerged showed the guy being abused by the security guards dragging him along the aisle. United then defended its activities, but later it had to apologize when investors and citizens began objecting. Sadly, this was not the first time this specific airline has been engaged in such an event. United has come under fire many times for its handling of passenger problems like flight concealments or delays and customer relations.
United's rating is the second-lowest among the big US airlines according to the most recent poll by the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Over the years, it has failed in categories like seat comfort, cabin cleanliness, food, Wi-Fi access, and customer service. Many passengers have said the airline is not courteous and even in-sensitive when compared to other carriers. Rivals like Southwest Airways and Jet Blue can score better on the satisfaction polls than United year after year.
Still, United may claim some strengths. One of the biggest airlines worldwide, it offers access to multiple locations in different cities that some of its specialized competitors are unable to reach. United is the sole option for individuals who have to attend to business in certain markets. In the last several years, it has also sought to change by creating new cabins, flexible check-in and check-out rules, and extra amenities on some of the flights. These initiatives for improvement, however, have not yet clearly changed customer opinions or satisfaction ratings by a somewhat greater degree.
Analyzing the ranking from the best to the worst airline, United Airlines always occupies the worst positions. It does not have a strong customer service-oriented image and a friendly environment for passengers like other major US airlines such as Delta and Alaska. It is not horrible and can probably get people from one place to another, but signs still show that United has not fully evolved into a nice airline that caters to passengers.
The problems with customer service, use of force, and low satisfaction rates have placed United at the bottom among competitors. There are always other airlines that could offer similar routes and similar or even cheaper prices with much better conditions for passengers and their treatment. On paper, United has a solid brand and route offering however its overall atmosphere and ethos is not that of a premium customer-focused airline at the moment.
If United cannot prove that it is capable of making steady, permanent changes to how it manages flights, deals with customers, and solves issues, it will likely continue to rank low on the list of nice airlines. Such perceptions and feelings include perceptions of previous negative experiences that passengers have had and feelings of avoidance towards the airline. As we have seen, perception does not always align with actual reality, and over the last decade in particular, United has severely eroded its standing in the eyes of consumers and the general public when it comes to its capacity for providing a solid, satisfying passenger experience.
All in all, it is possible to note that United has its advantages and affordable ticket prices for some destinations, nevertheless, most factors reveal that United is an underwhelming airline in terms of passengers’ satisfaction and overall pleasant experiences. Its organizational culture seems to include strict rules and profitability over the satisfaction and well-being of the customers. Other airlines are more attentive to customers’ requirements at similar price ranges. Thus, for the most friendly and high-quality airlines that go the extra mile for their passengers, it would be difficult at this particular time and based on past trends and surveys to recommend United Airlines. There is much to learn if United wishes to become a genuinely nice airline focused on passengers in the future.
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