CEO Scott Kirby’s Memorial Day message to United Airlines employees was more measured this year, pairing gratitude for American freedoms with a summer travel pep talk focused on operational reliability and customer care.
Scott Kirby’s Memorial Day Message To United Employees Was More Muted, More Operational
Kirby’s annual Memorial Day video message to employees was shared with Live And Let’s Fly. I am not going to post it (as an aside, Kirby’s gone “natural” and suddenly has silver hair…it appears he decided to stop coloring it!), but I want to focus on two parts of it.
While Kirby has lauded the United States as the “greatest country in the history of the planet” in his 2025 and 2024 Memorial Day messages, this year his tone was more muted, at least when it came to America.
His message in full:
Happy Memorial Day, everyone. As we’re heading into the kickoff of busy summer travel season at United, I do think it’s important to take a moment and remember why we celebrate Memorial Day. It really is about all the people that have come before us who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice to create the United States and give us the freedoms that we enjoy today. While this country isn’t perfect, we have an unprecedented level of freedom to say what we want, to think what we want to, to worship how we want, and we have a debt of great gratitude to everyone that has made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country.
But as we’re kicking off the busy summer travel season I want to say thank you to all of you for everything you’ve done to make United Airlines the best airline in the world. And part of that operational reliability. And I think in about November of last year we actually passed the last airline that was ahead of us to be the best operator. You look at all the data and everywhere that we fly, we are typically the best operator within those hubs and it’s all of you that have made the difference.
And so thank you in advance for everything you’re going do and all that you’ve done to make customers feel good about United has really turned us into the leading brand-loyal airline around the globe and as we go through the summer, I know that all of our customers can count on all of you even when times are tough, even when there’s lines of thunderstorm that come through and all the challenges that happen sometimes during summer aviation, to be there for the customers, to be there for each other and to take care of them. So thank you for everything that you’re doing. It’s a wonderful time here at United and I’ll look forward to seeing you out flying the friendly skies.
As for why he took a more measured approach this year, I cannot say, but I certainly concur with his gratitude for the freedoms protected by our system of government in the United States that no political regime can successfully destroy (at least not yet…).
As for operational reliability, I’ve had my own recent challenges on United…with 5/7 flights late (including one disastrous cancellation that I’ll write about this week), but I recognize that it is summer and there’s a lot of congestion in the system.
With labor contracts nearing completion, employees should (hopefully…) be fully aligned with Kirby’s mission and while I’m not expecting noticeable change, the service among uniformed staff has never really been the problem. But I do think Kirby’s reminder to employees to take care of customers and take care of one another is always helpful for a leader to make…and while the war in Iran has greatly hurt airlines (they have not been successful yet in passing huge fares increases on to customers, at least on the routes I fly), United still stands to do better than its peers (other than Delta Air Lines). It’s in a strong position right now.
CONCLUSION
Kirby issues a Memorial Day message to United employees each and this year’s video was a bit more muted, rightly lauding the United States but not using the gratuitous language that no nation should use to praise itself. Most of the message, though, was a pep talk to employees, preparing them for the summer travel season ahead and hoping to build on the strength United is currently enjoying in the U.S. airline industry.
image: Scott Kirby / LinkedIn
I hope this isn’t what he actually wrote – or someone needs to proofread for him
“While this country doesn’t perfect,…”
“I want to say thank you to all of you for everything you’ve done to make United Airlines is the best airline in the world.”
Happy Memorial Day and thank you to all who served and continue to serve our country.
No, that was the author (me) making a transcription error! Good catch, Tim.