OAG Travel News

United Airlines, the second largest American carrier, has taken the unprecedented step of issuing a statement condemning as “irresponsible” a report in a US newspaper on the carrier’s alleged bankruptcy.

In the story, the paper allegedly published a six-year-old Chicago Tribune article with the date changed.

The story related to United’s 2002 insolvency filing.

United has demanded a retraction from the Florida Sun Sentinel and is launching an investigation.

United exited bankruptcy protection in February 2006.

The airline said that like most carriers, it was finding the present world-wide economic problems a challenge.

“United continues to execute its previously announced business plan to successfully navigate through an environment marked by volatile fuel prices and continues to have strong liquidity,” the statement said.

In what has turned out to be a less than happy week for the Chicago-based airline, it has also been forced to retrench on plans to make economy passengers pay for their meals.

As the ABTN COMMENT column noted, it was a bold move to test a buy-on-board concept on its transatlantic flights.

The plan was to introduce the concept to economy class passengers on flights to Europe from Washington Dulles during the fourth quarter of 2008.

It met with extraordinary resistance from travellers and was quietly dropped. No press statement was issued on the move.

Source: http://www.abtn.co.uk  By: Malcolm Ginsberg