It’s been a rough month for United Airlines, but even this week’s latest scandals might not be enough to bite into the company’s bottom line.
After all, when it comes down to it, The Points Guy’s Emily McNutt said only one thing really matters to consumers.
“Industry trends show us that passengers are looking for low fares,” the news editor told Cheddar. “So I don’t think [the incidents] would be that detrimental for United in the long run.”
Just this week a puppy died on a United flight, sparking national outrage and prompting Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) to propose [legislation](https://twitter.com/SenJohnKennedy/status/974314896098824197) to protect pets while traveling. Days later another dog was mistakenly sent to Japan rather than Kansas City.
And it doesn’t stop there. Last year a passenger was dragged off a United cabin and a pet rabbit died on one of its aircrafts. Earlier this month, before the latest news, the company said it would subject its customer service staff to a mandatory “compassion” training to prevent such incidents from happening again.
But even if nothing changes, consumers who want to boycott but are driven by price may have little choice.
“Route networks are expanding in a way, but they’re also condensing in the sense that low-cost carriers are growing into this legacy market and taking over,” she said, “especially on domestic flights.”
Walmart, which became the nation’s largest retailer by making low prices a priority, has found itself in a place it’s rarely been: Warning customers that prices will rise for goods ranging from bananas to car seats.
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American businesses that rely on Chinese goods are reacting with muted relief after the U.S. and China agreed to pause their exorbitant tariffs on each other’s products for 90 days. Many companies delayed or canceled orders after President Donald Trump last month put a 145% tariff on items made in China. Importers still face relatively high tariffs, however, as well as uncertainty over what will happen in the coming weeks and months. The temporary truce was announced as retailers and their suppliers are looking to finalize their plans and orders for the holiday shopping season. They’re concerned a mad scramble to get goods onto ships will lead to bottlenecks and increased shipping costs.
Shopping expert Trae Bodge discusses how talks between the U.S. and China is good news for now, but uncertainty remains for back-to-school and the holidays.
