"It is a bad idea. The challenge you have with this is you are
turning your sales function to people who have no vested interest
in whether you fly on United or get on a duck and take off. If
someone calls up and says, 'I need to get to Flint, Michigan,' a
trained United employee will say, 'Well, I can get you to Detroit
or Lansing.' What the person in New Delhi or Mumbai is going to say
is, 'We don't fly there.'"
Source: Airline Consultant Mike Boyd, talking
about United's plan to outsource about 650 reservation jobs to
India. United says it will save money at a time when money is
absolutely crucial to the bankrupt airline. But critics say
passenger service will suffer.