Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 (Tek) 9/26/83; site tekchips.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!zehntel!tektronix!tekchips!wm From: wm@tekchips.UUCP (Wm Leler) Newsgroups: net.consumers Subject: UNITED cancelations Message-ID: <880@tekchips.UUCP> Date: Wed, 20-Jun-84 16:18:53 EDT Article-I.D.: tekchips.880 Posted: Wed Jun 20 16:18:53 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 22-Jun-84 20:38:15 EDT Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR Lines: 34 Last week I took a trip on United, and all four of my flights were canceled! In the Denver airport I noticed that several other flights had also been canceled. When I asked why one of my flights had been canceled, they told be because of mechanical problems. But I asked someone else later, and they said because of weather. The flights I ended up on seemed to be more full than normal. I'm suspicious -- Is there any possibility that an airline might cancel flights that are less than full, and rebook the people on another flight? By flying the same number of people but fewer actual flights (by filling flights more) they would save a bundle of money. Would an airline that was in financial trouble stoop to something like this? I'm not trying to cast aspersions on United, as an airline I generally like them, but I'm curious if other people out there have had similar experiences or suspicions. A related question: If an airline did this openly, but gave significantly cheaper fares, and guaranteed that they would give you more than (say) 5 hours notice, and that they would get you on a flight within (say) 2 hours of your originally scheduled one, or else pay your way on another airline, would you fly them? Most flights I've ever been on seem to be less than half full. If an airline could double the number of passengers per flight, they could probably halve their fares. People used to fly standby alot, and you weren't even guaranteed a flight! Wm Leler tektronix!tekchips!wm