United
Airlines achieved its best first-quarter on-time performance among
domestic flights since 2003 with 81.4 percent arriving on time, and,
despite several severe weather events, ended the month of March with
80.7 percent arriving on time.
March
was the third consecutive month that more than 80 percent of United’s
domestic flights arrived on time."We are very focused on providing solid operational performance and great customer service,” said Jeff Smisek, United's chairman, president and chief executive officer.
A key driver of on-time arrivals is on-time departures, particularly at the start of the day. United’s highest-performing hub for on-time departures of the airline’s first flights of the day in March was San Francisco International Airport, with 86.6 percent of flights before 9 a.m. departing exactly at departure time or early, followed by Cleveland Hopkins International at 86 percent.
The Department of Transportation measures a flight on time if it arrives within 14 minutes of its scheduled arrival time.
Employee
Bonuses
United
will reward eligible employees a $50 bonus for the company’s
domestic on-time performance result for March, and another $50 for
reaching the company’s first-quarter customer-satisfaction target,
as measured through online surveys that thousands of members of
United’s MileagePlus loyalty program complete each day.In the months of January and February, United also beat its domestic and international on-time performance targets, earning eligible employees $100 bonuses each month.
For the first quarter, each of those employees earned a total of $300 in bonuses.
United also has launched the new nomination period for the company’s Outperform Recognition Program. Through June 30, eligible MileagePlus members may nominate employees who provide excellent customer service. United will then select 101 eligible nominees to receive a total of $125,000 in cash awards.
