United Airlines customers are wary about the prospect of flight disruptions at the company, but they’re not changing carriers yet.
“Traveling these days is stressful enough without having to worry about labor problems at the airline you’re flying,” said Jeff Shunk of Lexington, Ky., who flew Wednesday morning to Denver on business.
Shunk, 42, a salesman for a graphics advertising firm, said he read about the latest labor troubles facing United as he waited for his flight to depart.
A bankruptcy-court judge in Chicago ruled Tuesday that United may transfer its employee pension funds to the government, which will result in reduced benefits for United’s 120,000 current and future retirees.
United also is trying to get the judge to break several of its labor contracts so that it may impose a second round of pay cuts since entering bankruptcy in December 2002.
Unions representing United’s flight attendants, mechanics and customer-service and ramp workers are threatening to strike if that happens, but such an effort would face legal and government obstacles.
A strike would be disastrous for United, which hasn’t earned a profit in five years and hopes to emerge from bankruptcy later this year. Other disruptions could include sickouts and work slowdowns.
No labor-related operational problems were reported Wednesday. About a dozen flight attendants handed out leaflets at Denver International Airport. Otherwise, it was business as usual at the airport, where United flies more than half of the passengers.
Amy Smith, 42, a software saleswoman from Alexandria, Va., said she’s not too concerned about how a potential strike would affect her.
She said she travels often, but doesn’t rely exclusively on United.
Smith said she’s more concerned about how the pension issue will affect workers.
“It’s really tough on people like flight attendants. It’s not like they make a lot of money anyway,” she said. “But I’m also a businesswoman, and I understand United needs to be able to cut costs if they’re going to stay in business. If they don’t, everybody loses their jobs.”
Mark Jursnick, 42, of Parker, who returned from a business trip to Raleigh, N.C., said he’s not concerned yet about the prospect of a strike. He’s sympathetic to the workers but said he thinks the airline had little choice.
“Cutting the pensions is drastic, but it would be even worse if there were no airline,” he said.
Diana Boeglin, 36, in Denver from Iowa to visit a friend, said she’ll continue to fly United unless the labor situation gets much worse. She likes earning United’s frequent-flier miles.
“I don’t pay much attention to it. It’s not that I don’t believe it’s important. I’ve got other things to worry about,” she said.
Denver travel agency owner Robert Polk said he received several e-mails from corporate clients Wednesday asking about United.
But so far customers aren’t booking away from the airline, he said. Polk is telling customers that a strike is unlikely, and even if it were to happen, it’s a long way off.
“It’s not on the radar screen just yet,” he said. “This is going to be a long process. There’s nothing to worry about today.”
Staff writer Greg Griffin can be reached at 303-820-1241 or ggriffin@denverpost.com.
What they are saying
“Traveling these days is stressful enough without having to worry about labor problems at the airline you’re flying.”
Jeff Shunk, Lexington, Ky.
“I understand United needs to be able to cut costs if they’re going to stay in business. If they don’t, everybody loses their jobs.”
Amy Smith, Alexandria, Va.
“I don’t pay much attention to it. It’s not that I don’t believe it’s important. I’ve got other things to worry about.”
Diana Boeglin, Iowa City, Iowa
