United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has issued an apology for taking a private plane while thousands of United passengers were stranded due to flight cancellations. Kirby admitted that his decision to take a private jet was insensitive to the customers who were waiting to get home. He expressed his sincere apologies to the customers and the team members who have been working tirelessly to take care of the passengers during severe weather conditions.
Kirby caught the private flight from Teterboro, New Jersey, to Denver on Wednesday, a day when United canceled 750 flights, accounting for one-fourth of its schedule. The airline has canceled nearly 3,000 flights this week, with the highest number of cancellations at its Newark Liberty International Airport hub in New Jersey, which was affected by thunderstorms.
Kirby attributed the disruptions in Newark to a shortage of Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers, stating that the FAA failed United by reducing the rate at which planes could arrive and depart from the airport. The canceled flights left United planes and crews out of position, making it difficult for the airline to handle the bad weather on Sunday.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department includes the FAA, criticized United on Twitter, stating that other airlines had recovered from the storms except for United. He even shared a bar graph comparing United’s cancellation rate with the rest of the industry.
Although United’s operation has improved since midweek, with the percentage of canceled flights decreasing, the airline is still leading in canceled flights among all U.S. carriers. United has promised to fix its operation in time for the busy July 4 holiday weekend, as millions of people are expected to travel.
Passengers have expressed their frustration on social media and to reporters about long airport lines and having to sleep in airports due to flight cancellations. Unions representing United’s pilots and flight attendants have also criticized the airline’s management, accusing them of poor planning, a lack of crew schedulers, and operating too many flights.
United clarified that it did not pay for Kirby’s private flight and did not disclose whether he frequently uses private planes.
What steps is United Airlines taking to rectify their operations and improve customer experience ahead of the busy July 4 holiday weekend
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has issued a heartfelt apology for his decision to take a private plane while thousands of United passengers were stranded due to flight cancellations. In a statement, Kirby acknowledged that his choice was insensitive to the customers who were anxiously awaiting transportation home. He expressed sincere apologies to both the customers and the hardworking team members who have been tirelessly working to take care of passengers amidst severe weather conditions.
Kirby’s private flight took place on Wednesday from Teterboro, New Jersey, to Denver. This particular day saw United cancel a staggering 750 flights, accounting for a quarter of its entire schedule. Throughout the week, the airline has had to cancel nearly 3,000 flights, with the highest number of cancellations occurring at Newark Liberty International Airport due to thunderstorms.
Kirby attributed the disruptions at Newark to a shortage of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic controllers, stating that the FAA’s reduction in the rate of airplane arrivals and departures at the airport was detrimental to United’s operations. The cancelled flights resulted in United planes and crews being displaced, making it challenging for the airline to handle the adverse weather conditions that occurred on Sunday.
Consequently, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department oversees the FAA, publicly criticized United on Twitter. Buttigieg noted that while other airlines had managed to recover from the storms, United seemed to be struggling. He even shared a graph comparing United’s cancellation rate with that of the rest of the industry.
Although United’s operations have shown improvement since midweek, with the percentage of cancelled flights decreasing, the airline still leads in terms of cancelled flights among all U.S. carriers. United has pledged to rectify its operations ahead of the busy July 4 holiday weekend, considering that millions of people are expected to travel during that time.
Passengers have expressed their frustrations on social media and to reporters about the long lines and having to sleep in airports due to flight cancellations. Unions representing United’s pilots and flight attendants have also criticized the airline’s management, accusing them of inadequate planning, a shortage of crew schedulers, and operating an excessive number of flights.
United has clarified that it did not pay for Kirby’s private flight and has not disclosed whether he frequently utilizes private planes. This incident has underscored the need for prompt improvements in United’s operations to regain passengers’ trust and ensure a smoother travel experience for the upcoming holiday weekend.
It appears that the United Airlines CEO’s apology for flying a private jet during flight cancellations falls short in reassuring disgruntled passengers. Actions speak louder than words, and this incident only adds to the frustration of those affected.
It’s disappointing to see United Airlines’ CEO flying in a private jet while passengers suffer from flight cancellations. Apologies are necessary, but actions speak louder than words.