I’ve read memos from United’s new CEO Scott Kirby for years. I’ve heard him speak. I’ve met him on multiple occasions. A video letter to United customers simply does not sound like him. But it’s the first step in his evolution from the man pulling the puppet strings to officially being the man in charge.
Start with his letter. If you prefer, you can watch the video instead:
Hello. I’m Scott Kirby, the new CEO of United Airlines. I’m a proud Air Force Academy graduate and have spent my entire career in and around aviation, including the last four years as President of United.
While I had planned for my first communication with you to be about the meaningful investments we were making to the travel experience and our continued growth across the U.S. and expansion to exciting new destinations around the world, today, the situation rendered to us by the COVID-19 pandemic leads me to a different type of message.
First, I graciously and humbly thank you for your business. Now, more than ever, our customers’ loyalty is so deeply appreciated by every member of the United family.
As essential workers, the men and women of our airline have been hard at work over the past two months to transport vital medical supplies and critical goods to places that need them most, to provide free travel to healthcare professionals and to help thousands of individuals repatriate to their home countries.
Safety has always been our top priority, and right now in the midst of an unprecedented crisis, it’s our singular customer focus. We recognize that COVID-19 has brought cleanliness and hygiene standards to the front of your mind when making travel decisions. We’re not leaving a single stone unturned in our pursuit to protect our customers and employees.
We are installing plexiglass in lobby and gate areas, we’re using the same equipment used to clean hospitals to disinfect the interiors of our aircraft, all crew and customers on board are required to wear face mask coverings and we’re taking the temperature of our employees before they start work.
But at United, we’re not stopping there. We’re teaming up with experts from Clorox and the Cleveland Clinic to set a new standard for cleanliness and healthy flying that we are calling United CleanPlus℠.
Clorox is working closely with us to improve how we disinfect common surfaces and provide our customers with amenities that support a healthy and safe environment.
Physicians and scientists at the Cleveland Clinic, will will advise us on new technologies and approaches, assist in training development and create a rigorous quality assurance program. And, as scientists learn more about how to fight COVID-19, Cleveland Clinic experts will help us use those discoveries to quickly implement new ways to keep our customers safe.
While we may not know when this pandemic will subside, what we do know is that travel is so deeply woven into the fabric of our global culture. We all desire to visit family, dance at a friend’s wedding, hug parents…and see the wonders of this beautiful world. No matter how sharp the picture quality – or how strong the WiFi signal – there’s simply no substitute for being there – in person – to collaborate, celebrate, explore. We are confident that travel will return. And when it does, United Airlines will be ready to serve you again in the friendly skies.
Thank you. Be well. And I look forward to seeing you on board.
Where’s The Doom and Gloom In Kirby’s Letter?
It’s a nice note, in the sense that it is upbeat, introduces a new initiative called United CleanPlus (which I’ve asked United for more details on), and provides warm and fuzzy words praising employees and thanking customers.
But I must admit, it doesn’t sound like the Scott Kirby I know. That doesn’t mean I am calling this letter two-faced or downplaying his new role as peacemaker and the public face of United. It does suggest, however, that Kirby will not be so publicly blunt and direct as he is behind the scenes.
For over two months, memos and interview from Kirby have warned that United is in an existential threat for survival. Today’s note simply talks about confidence that travel will return again and United will be ready to capitalize on it.
Perhaps Kirby is realizing that doom and gloom is fine to satiate airline analysts and pacify employees, but is probably not the best strategy for talking directly to customers.
Finally, it should be noted that United is stressing health and safety, not onboard service. More so than at American and Delta, I expect onboard service to take a hit as United continues its effort to preserve cash during the COVID-19 era.
CONCLUSION
Obviously, I wish Kirby the best and hope that he greatly outperforms all expectations in his new role. He’s a hardworking, detail-oriented guy who is more nuanced than simply being a bean counter. He’s engaged, smart, and shrewd. Interestingly, now he appears to directly be assuming Oscar Munoz’s persona of the uplifting and inspirational leader.
I had forgotten what douche looks like in human form. Thanks, Scott!
Bring on Gordon Bethune. Kirby will fail as CEO as long as he thinks he can charge families for sitting together extra because that’s what he thinks they do at rock concerts.
So not true!
I’m willing to give the guy a chance. Just maybe he will bring back OUR Friendly Skies.
Your going to be disappointed, his employees already distrust him because of his past. He also failed to talk about the packed planes, only addressed ground staff. Not inflight.
Bring on Gordon Bethune. Kirby will fail as CEO as long as he thinks he can charge families for sitting together extra because that’s what he thinks they do at rock concerts.
Please ask Kirby to disinfect the aircraft baggage compartments just like the passenger cabin. People work there too, and several have died already.
I agree with Rick let’s see what happens in times like these the “cream ” will rise to the top. I just hope he’s his own man and not a second edition of Parker whom he worked with for a long time.
The “softening” campaign has also commenced with what appears to be a curated/manager Instagram account. I am a fan of Kirby’s airline management acumen; in that respect he probably the best in the business. But in terms of the employee relations, needless to say I have reservations. Especially as Kirby follows a mostly-popular figure in Oscar Munoz. UA clearly understands it has work to do on Kirby’s perception.
No one cares about onboard service; the only priority is health and safety ( both occupational and passenger). They have one shot at getting at right. To that end, the message seems appropriate, his serial offender status notwithstanding, so perhaps a suspension of judgement is warranted.
He selfish, conniving, and has a napoleon complex, but a great actor, united is in trouble
United has screwed me over so many times in the last decade. Even though I live in a United hub city and am *Gold for life, I still mange to do 85-90% of my flying away from United. I don’t expect that will change.
@Charles and rjb: Well said! I agree with your comments completely. It is just a matter of time (and trust me, very soon) before Kirby makes UA screw loyal customers again. Similar to rjb, I am Gold for life, but already switched to fly with others after last November.
United Airlines is a leader in transgender and Lesbian and Homosexual agenda. Any employee not refusing to accept and openly participate in the culture is bullied and fired if they don’t die from bulling and isolation. I am an example.
Matthew, you were in the military. How would you have felt if your commander got up in front of everyone and said how terrible things were and offered a bleak outlook? How would that possibly help? Leaders need to be upbeat and offer hope. The message always needs to be a positive one if you want a workforce and customers to cooperate.
But this wasn’t a note to the workforce, but to the general public. I’ll cover his note to workforce later which was much more in line with expectations.
Kirby may be a customer-hating penny pincher but this shows that the in house PR team can still produce a nice puff piece on demand. Maybe they’ll soften his message as he strives to win the race to the bottom.
On a separate note, you call him a figurehead. That implies that someone else is really making the calls in secret, which would be ironic since Oscar was viewed as the figurehead with Kirby calling the shots. If your implication is right, that would be enough to give even Machiavelli a headache.
Kirby / Eddy Haskel knows nothing about the workings of an airline. He is throwing out Expressjet for a regional carrier for a regional with pilots not trained to the same standards as his mainline pilots. Remember the crash in Albany N.Y. Commute Airlines that is who he wants to replace Expressjet. Expressjet is the only regional airline that has pilots trained with safety assurance quality check programs in place like the majors. He only bought 49 percent of Expressjet because he can not read a flight attendant contract correctly. Kirby go learn the difference between part 135 and part 121 FAA certificate rules, then reread your flight attendants contract. The United employees know Kirby as the man who took away their perfect attendance program until he realized he made a major mistake and back stepped. He should of been buying planes instead of leasing most of his planes. Go see the cost per seat mile for Southwest, dig into the numbers the Southwest aircraft ownership at 70 percent lowered their cost per seat mile 2 cents a seat mile per plane compared to United. Which is an extra one million in profit per plane revenue You get to hang on to every six months. United also is laying off all of his regional, and main line maintenance staff in CLE. Their goes aircraft reliability right out the window. Bring back Gordon Bethune before United is just like TWA gone, gone.