When Will United Show Weather Delay Odds?

Scott Kirby wants United to show a weather-impact percentage on the passenger screen by Christmas, in time for the weather trouble that comes with Christmas travel.

Normally, when a weather delay is coming, every airline, including United, sends a text that there may be weather in Denver tomorrow. The passenger already knows December in Denver means weather, has nothing useful to do with the warning, and mostly gets a shot of anxiety before the trip. United has already started adding other flights to the message: stand by for one flight, or take an open seat on another. On the screen, the flight to Denver will show an estimated 41% chance of weather impact, the earlier flight 12%, and the later flight 3%, so the passenger can choose with the odds in view.

The point is how United keeps wowing customers. Two years ago, at the end-of-year officer meeting, United's officers learned their job is wow, and they looked back unsure what wow meant. The job is to do something a frequent flyer notices on the airplane and has never seen before.