Here’s United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby flying first class to Dallas on… American Airlines. It’s good to fly the competition. He keeps trashing them, though. The dominant reaction to seeing him flying first class on his Dallas-based competitor is, ‘why doesn’t he fly his own airline?’
Scott Kirby was fired as American Airlines President in 2016, immediately becoming President of United Airlines. Then-American CEO Doug Parker explained that they could only retain Kirby or Chief Operating Officer Robert Isom and they picked Isom. Parker wasn’t ready to step down as CEO (he should have) and Isom was happy being promoted to President rather than being in a hurry to become CEO.
He’s tried to drive American out of Chicago. In something of a revenge deal, Kirby pitched President Trump on his idea of United buying American. He even emailed the United Airlines database how great it would be if he ran the combined carrier.
Kirby received $13 million in severance and did not have a non-compete. That let him go run United and become its CEO where he rebuilt the airline’s fleet, product and domestic network. No U.S. airline is more improved over the past decade than United.
And he kept lifetime travel privileges at American:
Executive previously vested into lifetime travel privileges that include unlimited reserved travel in any class of service for Executive and Executive’s immediate family, including eligible dependent children, for personal purposes, access to Admirals Club travel lounges and 12 free round-trip passes, or 24 free one-way passes, each year for reserved travel for non-eligible family members and friends.
These lifetime travel benefits are “for personal purposes” so Kirby can’t take free business trips on his competitor’s dime. But this flight to Dallas is clearly a personal trip – he’s flying home.
United’s CEO continued to live in Dallas, where his kids go to school. He doesn’t live in Chicago near United’s corporate headquarters. Often he works from home (adn people who need to meet with him fly to Dallas). Brian Sumers reports that American has made it more difficult for employees of other airlines to confirm space at discounted rates on their flights.
Ahh, Kirby got cuck’d…
@MaxPower — Is this akin to me promoting unions, then flying Delta? Or, does Delta’s pilots union (since 1934) make it sorta alright…
@1990 did you read that Kirby has lifetime flight benefits? He’s running American into the ground and making them transport him for free. Hardly cuckery.
If he flew American, he just once again wanted to sit in one of their domestic seats and be reminded once again about how the idiots running American Airlines don’t believe in seat back TV’s and how that keeps some people (like myself) from flying American. How it is that the folks at American decided their customers would be happier watching tv/movies on their IPad or cellphone or computer is beyond me.
@Rob Newman – that’s a decision that was made while he was President of the airline (though they did not reverse it once he’d left).
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby traveled in first class on American Airlines because he wanted to fly on a PREMIUM airline.
Kirby knows that AA has DFW as its best asset and it is something that UA will never have which is why he wants it.
His heart clearly never left N. Texas.
@ Tim Dunn — While you’re on the subject, let’s all remember than Delta was run out of Dallas by American.
I know he runs an airline, but I find it weird that Kirby didn’t move to Chicago. He did move to Dallas from Phoenix when US Airwads took over American. There are very good personal reasons not to live in Chicago, but I would think those reasons would be trumped by the fact that he’s the CEO of a Chicago-based airline. And being around your headquarters is a good idea.
DL indeed recognized that you can’t be #2 in someone else’s hub – a lesson that Kirby would love to repeat to AA at ORD.
Let’s also not forget that DL took its toys from DFW and grew NYC where DL has now become the largest airline by number of flights and domestic destinations – where NYCers want to travel most.
and DL also took candy away from Scott Kirby in the form of 1/4 of LGA slots then held by US for the sum total of $60 million – the airline asset steal of the century.
and let’s not also forget US’ attempt to take over DL in chapter 11 which resulted in the “keep DL my DL” campaign which sets a business standard for employee engagement
There is a reason why Kirby won’t mess w/ DL; he knows full well that DL will win every time.
DL doesn’t brag incessantly about taking down other competitors but it has gained more ground in other airline strength markets than any other legacy – and they aren’t through yet esp. over the Pacific and to the Middle East and S. Asia.
Parker (Former AA CEO) picked the wrong guy to fire. Robert Isom should be fired as he is unable to to turn AA around after the mess Parker left.
Why isn’t this dude just flying private?
Kirby flies AA so he doesn’t use up a F seat on UA. Keeps the revenue in UA and reduces revenue on AA. That simple.
Tim
Delta is not through in the Pacific, Middle East and South Asia. I’m sure they’ll follow AA to South Asia (after 6 years) and only be behind UA/Continental there by decades.
Furthermore, I’m sure there’ll be a demand for its premium partners such as Saudia to the ME. Who wants the ME3, JAL, ANA, Sing and Cathay anyway, when we can fly Saudia or Delta’s premium service for a mere 600k !
let’s remember that Kirby was responsible for alot of the decisions which handicapped American for years and they are still overcoming.
He is smart and learns from his mistakes and other airlines including Delta who he has repeatedly said has been the example for many UA strategies.
He just isn’t humble enough to admit that he made alot of mistakes at AA.
Oscar Munoz did more to fix United than Kirby did. I’d argue that Munoz was the better CEO as well. Kirby simply took over an airline that was well into the recovery that Munoz had created yet Kirby gets the credit for both of their work.
Isn’t this the guy who also forced his employees to take experimental injections that injure and kill in order to keep their jobs?? I hope the day comes when Justice catches up with him
@Christian & Randy: Well said. Agreed with you both 110%.
Scott Kirby has a big mouth and he is annoying
Ol Scott Kirby forced all his employees to get the jab or loose their jobs. Sounds Nazi fascist to me. Shame on you Scott to demand such a dangerous rushed experimental jab