Suddenly United Airlines is banning customer-facing employees from wearing any pin other than an American flag pin. They are currently allowed a choice of 18 approved pins on their uniform.
United Airlines appears to be on the precipice of a partnership with JetBlue which will require regulatory approval. They may want some of JetBlue’s slots at New York JFK and to eventually buy the struggling carrier. Even if not, United has a lot of business before the federal government.
Airlines are one of the most heavily regulated industries in the country. Much of the passenger experience is directly carried out by government. Governments do security screening, rather than just regulating it like in much of the world. Governments own most of the airports. And from the moment planes push back to the time they reach their destination gate, government employees tell those planes exactly where to go and at what speed.
So United Airlines CEO has been going to extreme lengths to placate the Trump administration, from donating $1 million to the President’s inauguration to speaking out positively about its efforts to impose tariffs which are destructive to the economy broadly and airline industry in particular.
It’s a complete 180, as United had been all-in on President Biden’s agenda. CEO Scott Kirby got out in front of vaccine mandates within days of President Biden’s inauguration when that was a priority of the Biden administration, and long before they attempted to make those mandatory.
He was supportive of environmental causes and the airline campaigned for affirmative action. I’d described United as the most ‘woke’ of U.S. airlines.
Just a year ago, Kirby was being roasted by the MAGA Right for dressing in drag in a 2011 airline Halloween event (he did it again, by the way, in 2014 performing as Kesha). But then Donald Trump himself kissed Rudy Giuliani while Guiliani was dressed in drag so narratives are complicated.
Now another about face.
- While Delta and JetBlue had changed their policies to forbid Palestinian flag pins, United Airlines defended cabin crew wearing Palestinian flag pins last summer as ‘designating language skills’ even though ‘Palestinian’ isn’t a language, it’s not clear that those wearing the pins necessarily speak Arabic, and it’s not a standard designator for those who do.
"Pride"
Really @united ?? https://t.co/4p9LyB96T7
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) August 27, 2024
- However, starting next month “flight attendants and other customer-facing employees at United Airlines will only be able to wear a US flag pin: all other country flag pins will be banned” reports Live and Let’s Fly. The airline’s approved pins list now says,
Note: starting May 28, only US flag pins will be allowed
You may like United’s turn to anti-woke, and crackdown on Palestine flag pins. I’d submit that while the phenomenon of bending to the will of the party or person in power isn’t new in the U.S. per se, it’s growing to a degree we haven’t seen before and that’s dangerous.
Timur Kuran has written about preference falsification (Private Truths, Public Lies). It’s tough to know how much support a totalitarian regime has. They look stable until they aren’t. People appear to support the regime out of fear of revealing their true beliefs, but when the tides turn and it becomes safe as part of a group to express opposition even true supporters act as though they had opposed the regime all the time to gain advantage in the shifting world.
This same phenomenon explained a lot about the fall of Harvey Weinstein. No one publicly criticized him, until it became clear it was safe to do so. When women started speaking out, other women did so, and there was a cascade of stories that came out. His enablers all distanced themselves from him, claiming to have either been unaware or quiet critics all along. Everyone switches sides.
Now United Airlines is doing it, but they aren’t alone. In internal remarks to employees following the American Airlines earnings call last Thursday (a copy of which was reviewed by View From The Wing) CEO Robert Isom spent a good bit of his introduction talking about the risks and harms of tariffs – but too the step of hedging, claiming he wasn’t talking about the merits of tariffs. Even in closed rooms, you don’t want word getting back to the powers that be that you aren’t on their side.
Both Scott Kirby and Robert Isom have each earned more than $30 million in a single year. I’d hope that if I ever put together a little bit of money, like John Goodman in The Gambler I’d feel a little bit more liberated and not have to be so obsequious over things I did not actually believe. The hard thing here is we know longer know what Kirby actually believes?
‘Nuff said. *salute*
Kirby is just a disgusting opportunist, like many in DC.
I think we do know what he believes in, sucking up to whomever is in charge whatever their policies.
Putting United on the no fly list.
Wait! 18 pieces of flair?
I belong to a number of business organizations that ban political discussions during performance of our work duties because it is DIVISIVE. Why do you see a problem with that? Should passengers be allowed to chant slogans and hold signs? When the customer facing employees get off work they can express their personal concerns all they want. Dont align a neutral positioning with anything other than good business practice
Employees are there to do a job not preview their views and opinions. Even if said views and opinions are good in nature. As far as UA, of course he’s doing it to butter up to the Trump Administration given what’s occurring or could occur with JetBlue.
Everyone should do this.
Only Americans think they need to advertise their pet projects to everyone. You think air France, ba or JAL allow flair? Of course not.
Bumper stickers, yard signs and lapel pins are such an arrogant american thing. Nobody cares what any of you think about anything. Just do your job.
@Donald. I see a problem with it because it limits opportunities for people to develop critical thinking skills, empathy, and the ability to engage in respectful debate, and gives rise to the “snowflakes” those organizations probably complain about.
Business may be business but when you sell your soul for profit and power I don’t see there is anything left. Those who follow Trump out of a sincere belief are one thing, those who follow him while knowing he is doing wrong are something entirely different. But in the end he’ll turn on them just as he has on everybody else. After all, the problems building up are not his doing, and the buck never stops here.
Now that Kirby is in a boot licking mood, the next move should be banning the pronouns on name tags. This administration does not approve. For those employees that find the pins and pronouns important, these changes will start an internal backlash. It will not end well.
as usual, DL leads and UA follows
all Scott Kirby knows about the airline industry, he learned watching Delta
The idea of not allowing pins can be justified as a way to avoid controversy while serving passengers with diverse views. I have no problem with such a policy. That should be seen separately from the obvious obsequiousness of Kirby kissing Trump’s butt to get his favors or avoid his wrath.
@SB
A place of business is not a place to foster a “respectful debate”.
@Maryland
You are right, it won’t end well but it will be the people crying about it that will find out how bad it will be. Times are Changing. The business community sees this in all industrys.
It’s a uniform morons. Not a place to display your politics, sexuality or “feelings”.
Amazing- but telling- that only the left wing would be against this.
How about the she/her on the name tag?
Did you know that he/she/they is grammatically wrong. The correct grammar is he/she/it. Thing about it. She is hot. He is hot. How about the saucepan? It is hot, not they are hot. They is plural.
As far as the flags, that is not right. Flags of your language should be allow. You speak the dialect spoken in Gaza, then you can wear the Palestinian flag. Speak German? Then you can wear the German or Austrian flag. Speak Mandarin Chinese? Then you can wear the Republic of China flag, People’s Republic of China flag, or Singaporean flag. If the flight is to Beijing and you don’t want to wear the Chinese flag but are afraid to wear the Republic of China (Taiwan) flag, then wear the Singaporean flag. If you speak Bahasa Indonesia, like Obama, wearing that flag and flying into Poland, they may think you are flying the Polish flag upside down, a sign of disrespect.
Gary,
Stick to airline news. Your foray into politics shows a side of you that is lacking.
@cairns @Geroge and others: I am curious if you would be so supportive of UA or any company announcing that employees are banned from wearing religious artifacts such as the cross. What some people may see as freedom of religious expression others will see as a political statement or statement or a statement of “feelings” or “beliefs” that have no place in the work setting if expressions of gender, nationality or the like don’t.
The US flag is non-partisan. Honestly, employees shouldn’t wear anything but their uniforms and name tags, but, it is US-company, so fine, US flag, just like the tail of the aircraft. The crew is there for our safety and comfort. No MAGA hats. No rainbow pins. No watermelons. Enough. Not hard.
@Parker — First Amendment would include freedom (of and from) religion; it is a somewhat protected class, so the airline, as with any company, needs to be careful here. They should have a policy that does not unreasonably discriminate on that basis (and to enforce it). Not *that* hard. However, certain groups will feel ‘persecuted’ even though they are often imposing their views on others. *cough* fundamentalists *cough* So, yeah, conceal crosses, stars, crescents, too, please. Flag. Uniform. Name tag. Nothing else. Fair. Both sides.. very fine… (oof).
@cairns — Nah, I think it’s reasonable. But, understand, I think there shouldn’t be anything else. No religious paraphernalia. Make it ‘uniform’ across all other topics and issues. Nothing more.
@richard brose — My dude, the post IS about airlines. Politics is everything, culture, money, power. And this Gary’s site; he can do whatever he wants. Thankfully, he’s welcoming of opposing views.
Also, huge caveat: These US flag pins should be standard-issue, no variation, mandatory for all, 100% made-in-America, definitely not made-in-China, otherwise, why even pretend to do this performative patriotism? Oh… wait a minute… *wink*
It’s about time.
What’s shameful is that had to take sucking up to certain politicians to change. Fighting Jew hatred should be a universal value.
Shameful on United and shameful on the old admin who prioritized allowing Jew hatred to fester. See Harvard’s own report. Read the whole thing. Even as someone who follows these incidents closely, it was shocking.
” I gotta tell you folks, I don’t get all choked up about yellow ribbons and American flags. I consider them to be symbols for the simple-minded.” George Carlin
Or… maybe he just realized that pandering to entitled, lazy and self righteous employees while antagonizing half your customer base is not smart business.
Of the big 3 US carriers, United is the one that I avoid, and now more than ever, with its jingoism (American flag pins, really?) and a MAGA CEO, they won’t get my business,
@tim dunn Delta followed United an Q1 earnings. Also network. Now largest airline, Atlantic and Pacific. AA grabbing Domestic US and Latin number one. Put the Delta leading concept away in storage and hope.
An awful lot of reading for 2 sentences actually tied to the title.
@richard brose: “Stick to airline news. Your foray into politics shows a side of you that is lacking.” You struggled on your SAT comprehension sections, I’d guess. A story about UA and rules for FA outfits isn’t airline news? My apologies if you were being sarcastic and, given the medium (and the frequency of idiots posting here), I missed it.
What if the flag pin is worn upside down? That’s how I wear mine these days.
I agree no religious, political or any other BS- period.
Should a private business have the right to tell employees they can’t wear a cross? Yes. Whether I think it’s a “good” idea isn’t applicable. I don’t run United Airlines. Your opinion doesn’t necessarily mean it should be so.
@Common Sense — Usually people who are in-favor of the wellbeing of the Jewish people (and all peoples) do not refer to related topics as ‘Jew hatred’ (as you just did, multiple times).
Rather, most would use more appropriate, less pejorative words, like ‘antisemitic,’ but I think you have already shown your true intentions here (and before). For instance, you certainly misuse the phrase ‘common sense’ as you’ve adopted for your moniker, yet constantly just promote right-wing extremism on here, just is inherently not common or sense. Let’s go for ‘better’ sense.
And, yes, please do see that Harvard, unlike some other universities and law firms and media companies, has not capitulated to this administration’s abuses of power. Namely, see their recent acknowledgments that the administration is feigning concern for antisemitism as a pretext to go on a Red-Scare-like, anti-intellectual, anti-liberal crusade, more so seeking to silence opposing views, than to actually protect Jewish people and students. It’s big deal. I wish you wouldn’t encourage such insidious bigotry here. The plausible deniability is a feature, not a bug, folks.
The First Amendment is very explicit. “Congress shall make no law…” In other words, United Airlines is within their rights to determine what can be said and seen, when acting as an employee of the airline. While I’m not a constitutional lawyer, I would say that United Airlines is within their right to determine what they deem as appropriate dress.
@lavanderialarry — I don’t prefer them, but for different reasons. Like, enough of that ‘passion fruit’ scented soap, United. Yuck! Also, Delta has treated me better over the years… (@Tim Dunn, I got you, bro; all good here, Keep Climbing!)
@Dave W. — Thank you for also piling on @richard brose, and anyone else who wastes their comment on daring to tell Gary to self-censor. It’s absurd. Same goes for the folks who complain about AI photos or whatever. Who cares. We’re mostly here for the updates and the banter.
@Cairns — Wow. For once, we’re in agreement here. Keep it simple. Keep it ‘uniform.’ Safety. Comforter. Nothing else. Well said.
@Roe — I’m not a fan of the current administration or their policies, but if I was on-the-clock, I would wear the flag, up-right, and do my job, as United should enforce, if this is their new policy. It’s really not a time for protest. If we want to do the civil disobedience thing, then, walking down Fifth Avenue on the weekends, so far, has been peaceful. Not very effective, but peaceful.
@Mike P — Nice. He’s back! With quotes! Never change, sir.
@Mantis — Our nation’s flag is not and should not be partisan, so sounds good to me. Like, ‘the flag’ is not His flag, or your party’s flag, it’s liberals and Democrat’s, too. Uh oh. USA! USA! US… (all of) A!
@George N Romey — Don’t think of just crosses. Like I said above, no paraphernalia. Like, think stars and crescents and especially manji (you know… if those get tilted the wrong way… not good.)
This is dumb you clueless idiots, a lot of airlines wear flag pins to help display the languages they speak.
@1990 you raise the very points I was thinking. Some people will use the justification of “religious freedom.” I tend to agree that it should be all or nothing. If the flag of a country is going to set someone of, if advocating for social justice is going to set someone off then I have the right not be set off by see artifacts of organizations seek to persecute me.
@Parker — Thanks for the vote of confidence.
I’ll go ‘off the deep-end for a moment here,’ but, over the past 10-20-30 years, certainly in the USA, but also in Europe and elsewhere, I’ve witnessed first-hand and from afar what seems like the proliferation of bad-faith, disingenuous tactics, including ample logical fallacies, from the gish-gallop to the strawman, and all sorts of whataboutisms, in what I can only describe as a psychological warfare, using social media, mass media, and the internet, brought on by grifters and adversaries, both foreign and domestic, that seem to want us to eat each other alive, destroy our system of government, economy, and culture, all so that they can take more power (and money) just for themselves. They seem to think that punching other down, instead of building others up, will get them ahead. It’s sad. It doesn’t have to be that way. We do know better.
So, I continue to I resist and reject that false premise, personally, and try to ‘fight the good fight’ for progress and a better tomorrow, on here and elsewhere, every day. I am still hopeful.
(Now, please, to my dear foes, put on your flag pins, and do tell me about ‘touching grass’ and ‘social justice warrior’-ing, or whatever silly names you have for me today. I am hungry. Feed me!)
For a premium flight with thoughtfully curated entertainment and dining options, choose Delta.
Well I guess there are some UAL employees who should wear extra thick uniforms with all the badges they can handle and some (I saw one this morning) who I’d rather see wear nothing at all.
Gary doesn’t do politics? Gary was doing politics professionally long before airline blogging.
Kirby’s belief is to do what is best for United regardless of whatever his personal opinion is. This is doing his job, not hypocrisy.
@ 1990. we agree again.
@ 1990. Haha, speaking of being back . . . inspades, sir.
Good, this is how it should be. When I fly, I don’t need to have anyone’s politics on display, let alone a power tripping flight attendant who has the power to deplane me if I voice disagreement with their cute little Pro-Hamas Palestine pin. How about we don’t wear anything political at all? How about that? It boggles the mind that the liberal Left, the very ones who are so easily triggered and offended by literally anything and everything are mostly the ones wearing Palestine pins, apparently oblivious to the triggering and offense that they themselves are causing. When I fly United (and I do, paying for Biz/First because I’m a greedy Yankee air pirate capitalist running dog), the last think I want to deal with are the flight attendants’ politics. Leave them at home and just do your job.