Glenn Tilton.com

When United Airlines broke Dave Carroll's $3500 Taylor guitar in the the spring of 2008, he contacted them to ask for compensation. After all, he and other passengers watched from the plane as United baggage handlers actually threw his guitar around on the tarmac. United said they wouldn't pay for the damages, so Carroll wrote this catchy song about how much United sucks. We think it should go in United's next ad campaign.

Glenn Tilton has become a danger to this airline.

Glenn Tilton, the CEO and President of United Airlines, is increasingly showing his weakness and inability as an airline manager. Moreover, since his election as chairman (not the head) of the Air Transport Association of America (ATA), he has used his position to lobby (the ATA is a lobbying organization) for changes in aviation legislation that do not benefit the United Airlines franchise or its employees. This, in addition to his lack of prior airline experience, makes him a danger to the survival of United Airlines.

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Chicago, Ill., Feb. 2, 2009—Representatives from the United Master Executive Council of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) and the Irish Air Line Pilots Association (IALPA), which represents the pilots of Aer Lingus Airlines, today signed a protocol agreement that will bring the two groups together to protect the interests of pilots from both airlines in light of the recently announced partnership between United and Aer Lingus.

Last month, the two airlines announced a partnership that will allow both airlines to sell seats on a Washington, D.C.-to-Madrid route, using Aer Lingus aircraft not flown by United or Aer Lingus pilots. The flights, operating under the current Aer Lingus certificate, are scheduled to begin in March 2010.

“It is imperative that we work together on both sides of the Atlantic to prevent the anti-labor aspects of this agreement from impacting pilots from our two airlines,” said Captain Steve Wallach, chairman of the United MEC. “This partnership between United and Aer Lingus will set a dangerous precedent regarding international air travel where pilots on both sides of the Atlantic will pay a steep price. We will explore every regulatory, legislative and legal avenue to protect the rights and careers of our members.”

“We are very pleased to have entered into this protocol agreement with the United pilots and we will be working with them to confront the challenges this partnership poses to both our pilot groups,” said Captain Evan Cullen, president of the IALPA. “We look forward to working with our United colleagues to explore every option to end our respective company’s blatant disregard and lack of loyalty to their pilots, as well as to their corporate identities.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA represents 52,500 pilots at 36 airlines in the U.S. and Canada, including the approximately 7,800 pilots of United Airlines of which 606 are on furlough.

Quoted:

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that both United and Aer Lingus made a big mistake yesterday when they announced a joint venture that I can best describe as goofy. But that’s about the closest I can get to saying something nice. More importantly, United has decided that yes, labor relations can (and apparently should) get worse. Aer Lingus not only agrees, but it also has proven that it has no clue what to do with its business. I actually worry that in the long run, this could be the end of United. So for that, they’ve certainly earned themselves the Cranky Jackass award. Let me explain.

First, let’s talk details. Aer Lingus and United will join forces to first fly Washington/Dulles to Madrid in summer of 2010 (that’s a lot of notice) and then fly elsewhere the following summer. All costs and revenues will be shared between the two on the joint venture routes. Aer Lingus will be responsible for actually flying the route with three A330s (1/3 of its existing long haul fleet, though 6 more A330s are coming in starting this year) that will have Aer Lingus branding on the outside and apparently both United and Aer Lingus branding on the inside. United will be in charge of actually filling the plane. It appears the crews will come from the US but won’t be United employees. I’m not entirely sure how that will be structured yet, but my guess is that it will be low cost, non-union labor.

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“The day after reporting one of its worst quarterly financial results in history and after furloughing an additional 254 pilots (bringing the total to 606 pilots), United Airlines announced today that it has entered into what it calls an ‘innovative’ partnership with Aer Lingus.

“Aer Lingus has advised the Irish press that this joint venture will operate an Aer Lingus aircraft with neither United nor Aer Lingus employees, under a separate operating certificate and under newly established wages and working conditions. Obviously, this partnership will be accomplished at the expense of United’s and Aer Lingus’ own pilots and other employees. This development, where United attempts to establish an airline operation without the use of United aircraft or employees, is nothing less than the outsourcing of jobs to an international company, and clearly demonstrates that this management continues to make business decisions without regard to its pilots and other employees.

“The United pilots are exploring every option to put an end to the company’s blatant disregard and lack of loyalty to the United Airlines brand.”