United Airlines’ CEO Apologizes For Flying Private Jet Amid Flight Cancelations

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1 year ago

It was a tough week for United Airlines. Several days of thunderstorms led to the cancelation of thousands of flights in the New York City area. United Airlines was significantly affected, with more than 40% of its flights suffering delays. United CEO Scott Kirby put some of the blame on the FAA for its decision to cancel flights. But the airline chief is facing criticism after it was noticed that he flew a private jet from New York to Denver on June 28th.

United CEO not flying his airline

On June 30th, several media outlets picked up on the fact that Kirby had flown a private jet between two cities home to United Airlines’ largest hubs: New York and Denver. CNN notes that the airline confirmed that its CEO, Scott Kirby, flew a private jet from New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport to Denver, Colorado, on June 28th.

Newark Liberty International Airport, one of United’s largest hubs, is not too far away from Teterboro. Notably, the airport was one of several New York City area facilities that saw significant delays and flight cancelations that have been ongoing since Sunday.

The bad optics of an airline CEO flying a private jet while thousands of his customers remained on the ground were enough for the airline to clarify with the media that United did not pay for his flight. In a statement of apology, as reported by USA Today, Kirby stated:

“Taking a private jet was the wrong decision because it was insensitive to our customers who were waiting to get home. I sincerely apologize to our customers and our team members who have been working around-the-clock for several days – often through severe weather – to take care of our customers,”

Kirby adds that he regrets his decision as it has distracted from the professionalism of his airline’s employees, who have been dealing with customers at four different airports. “I promise to better demonstrate my respect for the dedication of our team members and the loyalty of our customers.”

Disruptions continue, but United “moving in the right direction”

It continues to be a challenging period for airlines. With flight cancelations taking place on such a large scale, the growing backlog of travelers waiting to get to their destinations has continued to grow. Lost luggage for delayed and canceled flights has added further stress for travelers and airlines.

On June 30th, US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg posted to Twitter that airspace was continuing to recover but that United’s disruptions were “elevated but moving in the right direction.” According to CNN, United has canceled over 3,000 flights since Saturday, June 24th. The Chicago-based carrier estimated that, as of June 28th, over 150,000 customers had been impacted.

So what do you think of United Airlines’ CEO taking a private jet amid this significant cancellation and delay period? And what do you think of his apology statement? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment!

Sources: CNN, USA Today

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