3 ms·

Well, if we're comparing their stock price hit vs. paying for alternative transportation for the 4 employees; United could have sent all 4 employees to the ISS

• maxerickson 10y ago
  An unrealized change in the stock price doesn't really mean anything. Especially over the short term.
  • Alupis 10y ago
    > An unrealized change in the stock price doesn't really mean anything I think we all understood that already. It's merely comparing, and accentuating, the market cap loss vs. options that would have been less costly, even if those losses aren't "real". To that endeavor, putting these employees on a rocket ship, launching them into space, docking with the ISS, then finally returning sometime later... just for fun... all would have "hurt" less than trying to evict customers from their seats in this case.
    • maxerickson 10y ago
      "hurt" That's just the point. A short term stock move doesn't hurt (or help) a company much at all.
      • adwi 10y ago
        Not to belabor this, but I believe it's a valid point to illustrate the scale of the potential financial repercussions for United. The damage to their brand could in fact cost far more than the short term $1.6B change in market cap.