Getting your flight delayed can be a rough experience, but United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) hopes to make it a bit easier by giving fliers more insight into why their flights are delayed. The move struck a chord with shareholders, who sent shares up fractionally in Wednesday afternoon’s trading.
Essentially, United will start sending text messages to travelers containing weather maps to explain how it can be sunny and clear where they are, yet because their destination airport is socked in with terrible weather, their flight has been delayed. It’s hoped that the extra information will make people less upset about delays and improve the overall customer experience.
This is actually more of a problem than you might expect. So far, in the first half of 2024, around 21.4% of flights arrived late, and that’s considered an improvement from the first half of 2023, when 22.3% of flights showed up behind schedule. The new technology is starting up with the Fourth of July weekend, so it should get quite a workout in the interim.
Getting Time Back in the Airport
Meanwhile, United offered advice on gaining back lost time in the airport. Word from United’s Chief Customer Officer Linda Jojo offered some tips, starting with updating the app. Having the latest version on hand will ensure the best possible experience, Jojo noted. Being prepared was also vital; start checking for construction near the airport at least two days in advance.
Is United Airlines a Buy, Sell, or Hold?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on UAL stock based on 16 Buys assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 13.05% loss in its share price over the past year, the average UAL price target of $71.70 per share implies 47.71% upside potential.
