United this week renewed its contract with the Weather Company, its longtime forecasting and meteorological services provider.
United officials said the partnership is critical to operations, as weather remains the leading cause of FAA air traffic delays.
The Weather Company is based in Brookhaven, Georgia, and owns the Weather Channel, Weather Underground, and Storm Radar.
As part of the collaboration, meteorologists from the Weather Company are embedded on-site at United’s network operations center, and their interpretation of atmospheric data helps guide operational decisions.
United also uses services such as Pilotbrief, a flight deck tool that provides pilots with high-resolution vertical profiles and turbulence forecasting, and Maverick WXAlert, an automated cockpit alerting system that delivers turbulence and hazard updates via ACARS.
The carrier is also increasingly integrating data feeds to power weather-related alerts and radar maps shared with customers.
“Our highest priority is always the safety of our employees and passengers, and the Weather Company’s expertise is foundational to that mission,” Nathan Polderman, senior manager of meteorology at United, said in a news release. “The integration of tools like Pilotbrief, along with real-time insights from embedded meteorologists, enables us to stay at the forefront of aviation innovation, navigating complex weather challenges with industry-leading precision and accuracy.”
The duration of the new contract was not disclosed.
United has worked with the Weather Company for over 15 years.
