Better weather, fewer canceled flights greet United travelers

From Jeff Flock
CNN Correspondent

CHICAGO (CNN) -- United Airlines said its flight schedule was running much closer to normal Wednesday, but an ongoing labor dispute with its pilots continued to cause flight cancellations.

United Spokesman Joe Hopkins told CNN that systemwide, the airline had canceled just 69 flights so far Wednesday, compared to 274 Tuesday.

Hopkins said there has been "substantial progress" in negotiations for a new contract between United and its pilots. Some pilots have been declining to work overtime, which the airline says has led to flight disruptions.

A recent spate of bad weather at United's major hub in Chicago also has contributed to flight delays and cancellations, but the weather in Chicago Wednesday was clear.

PACKED PLANES Skies are full, unfriendly as United cuts flights     RESOURCES United Airlines - Flight status     ALSO Click for the Transportation Department's latest report on flight delays and more     FALLING PROFITS United is taking a financial hit from the flight disruptions     UNITED APOLOGY Read the apology to passengers issued by United's president     MESSAGE BOARD What are your pet peeves about air travel? How can these problems be resolved? Share your ideas on our message board

Air travelers have been increasingly upset over flight disruptions.

"I think half the United flight is on Continental this morning," said Wayne Meyer, a business traveler trying to get out of O'Hare Airport Wednesday morning. Travelers increasingly have been booking flights on competing airlines, pointing to last-minute cancellations and a lack of information from United.

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley urged the airline Tuesday weighed in on the flight problems, saying United has to "come clean, be frank to all the customers."

United's Hopkins, responding to increasing criticism, reiterated company apologies to customers for the schedule problems.

"Our challenge is to re-win their loyalty," he said.

"They came back to Major League Baseball, they came back to the NFL," he said, referring to other high-profile job actions that led to customer anger.

United has announced the cancellation of 1,980 flights for September to reduce the number of last-minute cancellations. But the airline has yet to annouce which specific flights will be crossed off its schedule.

United cancels flights for second day
August 6, 2000

United Airlines
Air Line Pilots Association
Chicago O'Hare International Airport

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.