Topic > Emerging Trust Issues at United Airlines

Starting as a postal carrier in 1925, United Airlines has largely expanded its business operations over the years. United Airlines is a brand and transportation service that allows its customers to transport cargo and travel around the world. Its goal as a company is: “to help unite the world by connecting people to the moments that matter most. This shared purpose drives us to be the best airline for our employees, customers and everyone we serve.” The company has taken many hits but has managed to persevere and continue its growth. Securing a merger with Continental Airlines in 2010 after filing for bankruptcy 8 years earlier was monumental for the company. This was very significant due to its new top-tier status globally. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay After the collaborative plan began, United Airlines' competitors, including Delta, American Airlines, and Southwest Airlines, were forced to consider mergers. This change in the climate of airline competition demonstrates just how much of a powerhouse United Airlines was and remains. Downsides of United Airlines Over the past year, United Airlines has suffered a serious black eye due to repeated poor treatment of passengers, both people and animals. In April 2017, a doctor on an overbooked flight from Chicago to Louisville was dragged off the plane after refusing to give up his seat on the flight, citing the need to see patients in Louisville the next morning. Tyler Bridges, a passenger on the flight, recorded the altercation and posted the video on Twitter. The footage spread like wildfire across the Internet, causing many people to berate the airline staff for the way they had handled the situation. Less than a year later, in March 2018, United Airlines once again upset passengers when it forced a passenger to place his family's dog in the overhead bin during a flight from Houston to New York. Despite the passengers' apparent anger, the attendant asked the dog to put him in the overhead bin for the three-hour flight. “Passengers who said they were on the flight expressed frustration with United and the attendant who they said insisted the dog be placed overhead.” When the plane landed and the overhead bins were opened, the dog was found dead. Although the airline said it was not aware there was a dog in the bag, the mother and daughter said they both told the flight attendant that it was a dog, but were still forced to put the dog in the hatbox. United apologised, saying they took full responsibility for the incident and that it should never have happened. Many years before these customer service fiascos, in 2001, United had to deal with problems that arose from the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and airplane safety. Before the attacks, United had a reputation for taking off unsafe planes, resulting in deadly crashes and hundreds of deaths. In a five-year span in the 1980s, 11 fatal accidents occurred, resulting in over 400 deaths. This number grew even more 10 years later. Between 1997 and 2001, 14 fatal accidents occurred, resulting in more than 600 deaths. These numbers do not take into account “suicide and sabotage”. Rather, the accidents were caused by maintenance problems, negligence and some anomalous events. Then came the terrorist attacksof September 11, 2001, which were not only a public relations disaster for United, but also a devastating loss for the entire country. According to USA Today, there is no concrete evidence of how the hijackers entered the cockpit of hijacked planes on United Airlines flights. This trend of aircraft damage accidents and oversight problems has caused trust issues in the industry, the kind of trust issues that are difficult to overcome. The Positives of United Airlines As one of the world's largest airlines, United's "strong international carrier" and regional alliances represent areas of strength. A great positive aspect of United Airlines is exemplified in the fulfillment of its mission which is about connecting people spread across the world. The airline offers flights to 357 destinations, 124 international airports and 48 countries. All flights to and from these destinations totaled 148 million passengers in 2017 alone. As for past incidents that have left the United public with a bad taste in their mouths, the company has taken the initiative to review various protocols and guidelines for employees. In response to complaints about how it handles customer service debacles, it called for new procedures to better handle overbooking, refunds and baggage mishandling. The results of these changes can be seen in the 94% decrease in the number of involuntary denied boardings within one year of the proposed change. These processes provide convenience and build a relationship with customers, increasing the likelihood of bookings. Following the event in which the United customer was dragged off the plane, the company implemented a new guideline that reads: "United will not ask law enforcement to remove customers from flights unless it is a security issue". adjustments and a willingness to admit fault in these situations make it much easier to overlook these mistakes. These examples of errors within its system are not simply swept under the carpet, but addressed efficiently to avoid any future altercations, demonstrating its commitment to customer satisfaction. Management Recommendations Regarding the event in which a customer was dragged off a United Airlines flight and Regarding general flight safety, the company must educate its employees at all levels on protocol revisions. This should be done through a series of interactive training courses where employees receive information and are required to actively apply what they have learned in a real and hypothetical scenario. Similar techniques should be used to address dog death on board a United flight. Flight attendants and other crew members should be informed of past incidents and given key information and detailed action plans for possible future situations. While it is important to make changes to the guidelines, it is irrelevant if workers are not held to high standards and are not required to follow them. As it builds lesson plans for these informational sessions, United Airlines must be mindful of all its audiences, especially those negatively impacted by past events. This includes animal rights activists, people traveling with or without pets, and past and potential customers. Creating specific instructions aimed at those directly and indirectly involved will demonstrate care and make customers feel listened to. Those directly involved in any of United's errors should be provided with appropriate compensation promptly. In addition to instructing members of the.