Also on September 8, United abruptly replaced its former CEO Jeffery Smisek amid a federal investigation into whether the airline gave preferential treatment to a former chairman of the agency that operates the New York-area airports who has political ties to New Jersey Gov. and presidential candidate Chris Christie.
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“Let’s be honest, the implementation of the United and Continental merger has been rocky for customers and employees”, Munoz says in a video clip featured on the company’s newly set up website UnitedAirtime.com, which is meant to provide a venue for people to ask them questions and for the airline to address them.
“The journey hasn’t always been smooth”, Munoz said in the letter. Munoz, a railroad executive and head of United’s audit committee, was named president and CEO.
Munoz has also recently posted an open letter to the public saying that the airline was committed to re-earning the trust of the public and promising that the company would deliver meaningful, everyday improvements.
Munoz, who has been a director of the new United from its inception, said the airline’s board “could have been more aware” of the morale problem.
The CEO change puts Munoz in charge of the second-largest airline in the world and the largest private employer in Chicago, with headquarters in Willis Tower.
He spent three weeks listening to the employees; and in an interview on Thursday said that the airline will change under his headship.
The brewing scandal only piled on other United struggles, such as labor woes, poor customer service, technology issues, lagging on-time performance and yet, record profits. We want to be the first choice for every trip you take, the letter states.
United’s effort to integrate its own reservations systems in 2012 led to months of problems and customer outrage.
He talked about firing corporate consultants and containing costs with help from employees instead.
Airline mergers are often a pain for customers and employees alike.
Denver worldwide Airport is a hub for the airline.
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He said once the details come out, people will understand “it wasn’t a failure of our entire corporate entity and its ethics and principles”. The flight stopped service four days after Samson resigned in April 2014, according to the Tribune.
