Business
Customers sue over ’embarrassing’ squeaky On Cloud shoes
Athletic shoe company On is facing a lawsuit from US customers who claim that its popular sneakers make a “noisy and embarrassing squeak”.
The “CloudTec” sneakers typically cost around $200 (£150) and have holes in the sole designed to make users feel like they are “running on clouds”. Instead, the lawsuit says, they cause issues in daily life – especially for nurses who wear them all day.
“No reasonable consumer would purchase Defendant’s shoes – or pay as much for them as they did – knowing each step creates an audible and noticeable squeak,” the customers allege.
The company, which did not immediately respond to a BBC inquiry, has declined to comment on the allegations.
The class action lawsuit was filed on October 9 in US District Court in Oregon.
The customers say that multiple On sneaker styles are unwearable without “significant DIY modifications”. They accused the company of “deceptive marketing”.
The plaintiffs, who claim they were unable to return the shoes after complaining about the noise, are seeking refunds and other damages.
The Switzerland-based sneaker company could have “fixed the design, and/or offered to fix the shoes or [given] consumers their money back but did none of those things”, the complaint alleges, citing the Cloudmonster and Cloudrunner models, among others.
One customer claimed in the complaint that she was “no longer able to use her shoes as intended due to the embarrassment and annoyance”.
The plaintiffs in their complaint reference social media posts, on TikTok and Reddit, from other frustrated customers who have suggested at-home remedies for the noise – including applying coconut oil to the soles of the shoes.
On, which is backed by the tennis player Roger Federer, reported better-than-expected earnings in August. Its quarterly revenue was boosted by direct-to-consumer sales.
Earlier this year, the company said sales of its Cloudmonster and Cloudsurfer sneaker models contributed “significantly” to its growth.
A United Airlines plane approaches the runway at Denver International Airport on March 23, 2026.
Al Drago | Getty Images
United Airlines slashed its 2026 earnings outlook Tuesday as it grapples with a surge in jet fuel prices due to the Iran war, but CEO Scott Kirby said demand remains strong.
United said it could earn between $7 and $11 a share on an adjusted basis this year, down from its previous forecast of between $12 and $14 a share that it released in January, more than a month before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.
Wall Street had already been adjusting its expectations for the year because of higher fuel. Analysts polled by LSEG had forecast that United’s adjusted, full-year earnings would be $9.58 a share.
The carrier, like others, is trimming some of its planned flying this year to reduce costs. Lower capacity can drive up airfare, with fewer seats on the market.
For the second quarter, United forecast adjusted earnings of between $1 and $2 a share. Analysts had expected $2.08 a share for the quarter. United estimated its fuel price would average $4.30 a gallon in the second quarter.
The carrier said it expects its revenue to cover between 40% to 50% of the fuel price increase in the second quarter, as much as 80% in the third and between 85% and 100% by the end of the year.
United reiterated that it is tweaking its schedules to adjust to higher fuel, with capacity in the second half of the year expected to be flat to up about 2% on the year. It grew 3.4% in the first quarter.
Here is what United Airlines reported for the quarter that ended March 31 compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on estimates compiled by LSEG:
- Earnings per share: $1.19 adjusted vs. $1.07 expected
- Revenue: $14.61 billion vs. $14.37 billion expected
Revenue, profit climb
Revenue overall rose more than 10%, to $14.61 billion, up from the $13.21 billion from a year before.
For the first quarter, United’s net income rose 80% to $699 million, or $2.14 cents a share, compared with net income of $387 million, or $1.16 cents a share, a year earlier. Adjusted for one-time items, United posted earnings per share of $1.19 a share.
Unit revenue was up in every reported segment, including for domestic U.S. flights, where it rose 7.9% to $7.9 billion from a year earlier, signaling strong pricing power in the quarter.
Jet fuel in the U.S. was going for $3.51 a gallon on Monday, down from the high on April 2 of $4.78, but far above the $2.39 on Feb. 27, the day before the first attacks on Iran, according to prices assessed by Platts.
Airline executives have said demand has remained robust even while they have increased fares and checked bag fees as they pass along higher fuel prices to customers.
“Bookings are strong,” Kirby told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Wednesday.
United and the rest of the industry have become more reliant on travelers who are willing to shell out more for flights and bigger seats, and who are less affected by price increases.
Alaska Airlines pulled its 2026 forecast on Monday because of higher fuel prices. It has raised fares about $25, CEO Ben Minicucci told analysts Tuesday.
Merger ambitions?
Kirby is likely to face questions on the company’s 10:30 a.m. ET earnings call on Wednesday about his ambitions for a merger with another airline.
Kirby floated a potential merger with American Airlines to a Trump administration official earlier this year, according to a person familiar with the matter, but President Donald Trump said he was against the idea.
“I don’t like having them merge,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Tuesday morning. He said he would like someone to buy struggling discount carrier Spirit but he also suggested that the federal government could “help that one out.”
American also rejected the idea of a merger with United last week.
When asked about floating the merger, Kirby declined to confirm the meeting to CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Wednesday but said: “We want to create a truly global airline.”
Kirby reiterated his view that the U.S. is at a deficit in international air travel as customers fly on international competitors, some of which are state owned.
NI Affairs Committee told even if conflict ends immediately it will take time for supply chains to return to normal.
Source link
The president also said the US will continue to blockade Iran’s ports until peace talks progress.
Source link
US CBP to soon launch electronic system for importers to claim refunds
US’ Gap & FIT launch programme to mentor fashion students
Nasa unveils new space telescope to probe mysteries of ‘dark energy’
-
Fashion6 days agoFrance’s LVMH Q1 revenue falls 6%, shows resilience amid Iran war
-
Entertainment7 days agoIs Claude down? Here’s why users are seeing errors
-
Sports1 week agoPSL 11: Peshawar Zalmi win toss, opt to field first against Quetta Gladiators
-
Tech1 week agoThe Deepfake Nudes Crisis in Schools Is Much Worse Than You Thought
-
Tech1 week agoBremont Is Sending a Watch to the Moon’s Surface
-
Tech1 week agoHuman-machine teaming dives underwater
-
Business1 week agoBP sees ‘exceptional’ oil trading result as Iran war sends crude costs soaring
-
Sports1 week agoPacers’ Tyrese Haliburton talks shingles battle as he recovers from torn Achilles