The flight to India
Jeff Pelline Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Jeff Pelline is editor of CNET News.com. Jeff promises to buy a Toyota Prius once hybrid cars are allowed in the carpool lane with solo drivers.
Next time you dial United Airlines to inquire about standby room, your call might be routed to someone an 18-hour flight away.
The Chicago-based carrier, fighting its way out of Chapter 11, is jumping on the India-outsourcing bandwagon that U.S. tech companies have become known for in the past couple years.
I called United on Thursday to confirm a flight this weekend to Washington, D.C., and an agent answered who said she was working from India. Call center operations for the airline began in January, she said.
My question--whether dinner would be served--was answered promptly, but alas, she didn't know what was on the menu.