United Airlines Reports April Traffic Results

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CHICAGO, May 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- United Airlines today reported its preliminary traffic results for April 2007. The company reported its highest-ever April passenger load factor of 84.1 percent. Total scheduled revenue passenger miles (RPMs) increased in April by 0.8 percent on a capacity decrease of 0.8 percent in scheduled available seat miles (ASMs) compared with the same period in 2006.

84.1% FULL AND OPERATING WITH THE LOWEST LABOR COSTS IN THE INDUSTRY THIS CABAL OF EVILDOERS STILL CAN'T GENERATE A PROFIT!

CRIMINAL is too kind a word for the mobsters running UA.

 

[Cosmo]

84.1% FULL AND OPERATING WITH THE LOWEST LABOR COSTS IN THE INDUSTRY THIS CABAL OF EVILDOERS STILL CAN'T GENERATE A PROFIT!

CRIMINAL is too kind a word for the mobsters running UA.

Wow, you sure didn't let any FACTS stand in the way of a good rant, did you?

First, did it occur to you that April was not part of the quarter for which United's financial results were released last week?

Second, did you notice that United's April load factor of 84.1% exceeded the carrier's first quarter load factor by 3.8 percentage points?

Third, did you similarly notice that United's April load factor exceeded its first quarter breakeven load factor by 2.4 percentage points?

Had you taken the small amount of time required to analyze the above statistics, rather than simply spout uninformed drivel, you would have realized that United almost certainly recorded a profit for April and, barring any extraordinary events, will undoubtedly record even larger profits in May and June as its traffic increases for the summer peak season.

And while the question of whether executive pay at United has grown too large and/or exemplifies greed on the part of certain senior individuals is a legitimate one, especially in relationship to the carrier's recent financial results, IMHO your categorization of the senior officers of United as a "CABAL OF EVILDOERS" goes way beyond any reasonable boundary given that we live in a world overflowing with truly evil people. If you can't see that distinction, you are blind to reality and don't understand what is really important in this world. So, in terms that I'm sure you'll understand, BACK OFF from such unwarranted characterizations!

 

[casual rat]

I liked the use of 'cabal' myself, now if someone could somehow weave 'obtuse' into a descriptive phrase with respect to the current Management, it would make my day...

 

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A good rant is entirely appropriate and long overdue, Cosmo.

UA's "management" has accomplished nothing in four years except a massive transfer of wealth from stockholders, creditors and employees to their own pockets. UA continues to underperform all its competitors despite it's low labor costs, awesome route structure and efficient fleet.

The elements of your rebuttal are true: April is, of course, not part of the first quarter; April's load factor may well have indeed exceeded the first quarter's load factor; April's load factor may also be above the breakeven load factor. But I stand by my opinion that this management is both excessively greedy and demonstrably unable to succeed.

Your forecast that the company will "undoubtedly record even larger profits in May and June as its traffic increases for the summer peak season" has been heard over and over again. Promises, promises. Please tell me, Cosmo, how will the company operate with even higher load factors? Not well, if history is any guide. The summer storms will bring cancellations and passengers will have no "protection" because there will be no seats to reaccomodate them.

I have grown weary of company apologists who can "explain" how the company's management is succeeding when it is so clearly failing.

As for your exhortation to BACK OFF unwarranted characterizations: please understand that the many thousands who have been severely injured by this management would not consider the characterization "unwarranted" at all.