United CEO Scott Kirby, who was doused with nearly $34 million in compensation for his 2024 performance running a near-monopoly business he helped engineer, is fortunate the American public remains blissfully unaware of his unparalleled contributions to making commercial airline travel such a dismal, humiliating experience.
Air travel in America today is defined by cramped cabins, unreliable service, surprise fees, and a general disdain for the flying public. Few individuals have had a more direct hand in this decline than Kirby—a longtime industry wheeler-dealer and metrics-obsessed executive who helped mastermind the consolidation and commoditization of commercial aviation.
Kirby was a driving force behind the transformation of U.S. airlines into quasi-cartels that no longer need to compete meaningfully for passengers and are thus free to continuously degrade the flying experience. Before ascending to United’s top job in 2020, after serving four years as president, Kirby held high-ranking roles at America West and US Airways, ultimately becoming president of American Airlines after the 2013 US Airways–American merger.
The “Unbundler”
Among Kirby’s pioneering contributions was putting the “unbundling” of travel services on steroids. Kirby was the evil genius behind Basic Economy, a fare tier where passengers can’t choose their seats without paying extra, aren’t allowed to use the overhead bins, and are made to board last—parading past higher-paying customers as they make their way to the back of the plane like steerage-class passengers on a 19th-century steamship.
Airline trades report that Kirby isn’t done eliminating what little competition is left in the U.S. airline industry. He reportedly has his sights on JetBlue, which would give United a much greater presence at New York’s JFK and complement the hold the airline enjoys at Newark, one of its primary hubs. That’s no doubt one of the reasons Kirby has been paying homage to President Trump.
In addition to United donating $1 million to Trump’s inaugural campaign, Kirby also has been supportive of Trump’s tariffs, despite the adverse impact they’ve already had on his business. Kirby had the audacity to say he supports the tariffs because the president has a “genuine desire to make things better for middle-class Americans.”
Kirby feigning support for fostering more middle-class Americans—that’s rich. The 28,000 flight attendants Kirby employs have been without a contract for more than four years. The starting wage for a United flight attendant is $28.88. By comparison, Dr. Joseph Goodman, a dentist in Beverly Hills, CA, advertised for a front office biller and treatment coordinator—a job that paid $25–$38 an hour. I’d wager that seeing Dr. Goodman involves considerably less discomfort than flying Basic Economy on United.
Moreover, Dr. Goodman no doubt compensates his front desk staff for the entire time they spend in the office, regardless of whether he’s treating patients. United flight attendants are typically compensated only for time between aircraft door closure and opening—excluding boarding, deplaning, and delays.
Historic Contract
United’s flight attendant union this weekend announced a tentative “historic” contract it claims offers “40% of total economic improvements.” By comparison, Kirby’s 2023 compensation increased 90% to $18.6 million, and in 2024, it increased by 83% to $33.9 million.
United didn’t agree to the tentative contract out of the goodness of Kirby’s heart. A less charitable explanation is that he needs to pacify his increasingly militant flight attendants to get the Trump administration to approve his coveted JetBlue takeover.
As an aside, Kirby wasn’t above shamelessly sucking up to Democrats when they were in power.
Blogger Gary Leff, on his View From The Wing website, noted that Kirby was woke when woke was in vogue. United was an early champion of vaccine mandates, embraced climate change, and supported affirmative action in California when Joe Biden was president. United’s chief spokesperson and image shaper is Josh Earnest, who served as President Obama’s press secretary for three years and then became a regular talking head on Comcast’s Biden-fawning NBC and MSNBC networks.
Leff likened Kirby to the morally ambiguous Captain Renault in Casablanca, who famously said, “I have no conviction, if that’s what you mean. I blow with the wind, and the prevailing wind happens to be from Vichy.”
Outsourcing Safety
For all his unabashed support of Trump and supposed concern for a burgeoning middle class, Scott Kirby had better hope the president doesn’t look too closely at where United’s aging fleet of Boeing planes is maintained. According to the Teamsters, approximately 85% of United’s heavy maintenance is outsourced—often to repair shops in China and South America.
Rest assured: if a cheaper maintenance option emerges—be it Bolivia, Bangladesh, or Mars—Kirby will sign the contract faster than one of his jets can barrel down a runway. Given that United presumably flies empty planes thousands of miles to far-flung destinations to avoid the cost of specialized American labor, it’s comical that the airline boasts a commitment to “environmental sustainability” on its website.
Beyond cost-cutting, there are other “benefits” United enjoys by offshoring maintenance to developing countries. Unlike at domestic repair facilities, where FAA officials may arrive unannounced, foreign stations receive polite advance notice of inspections—giving them time to clean up and temporarily “regain compliance” before inspectors arrive. That’s according to a 2018 study by the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU), which also noted that foreign repair shops are allowed to employ lower-skilled labor at drastically lower wages. Disparate employee requirements exist as well: for instance, domestic repair station workers must undergo DOT drug and alcohol testing. No such requirement exists for overseas counterparts.
Catering Chaos at SFO
Speaking of outsourcing, United recently switched catering providers at its San Francisco International Airport (SFO) hub, which serves many of its key long-haul routes. The transition from Gate Gourmet to LSG Sky Chefs? A total mess.
As reported by aviation blogger Gary Leff, the switchover caused widespread disruptions: drastically reduced food and beverage service, missing provisions, and confusion among flight crews. Domestic flights were hit hardest, but even premium international travelers weren’t spared. Instead of the hot meals first-class passengers expect, some were served snack boxes—if they were lucky. Others reportedly got no food at all, and beverage service was sometimes limited to bottled water, with no ice.
United’s response? A $15 meal voucher for affected passengers at SFO. Having passed through SFO some seven years ago, I can attest that $15 wouldn’t cover a burger, fries, and a soda—even at 2018 prices. Inconvenienced passengers can take comfort knowing they are doing their part to help finance the $1.5 billion share repurchase initiative United announced last October, a move intended to raise the company’s stock price and ultimately further enrich Kirby.
Private Equity’s Place on the Tray
Naturally, I wondered: who owns LSG Sky Chefs? The Starkman Approved instincts proved right again. In October 2023, LSG was acquired by Aurelius Group, a Munich-based private equity firm best known for buying underperforming companies and “aggressively restructuring” them.
To get a taste of Aurelius’s managerial genius, look no further than The Body Shop—once revered for its ethical values and sustainability. Within months of Aurelius acquiring it in late 2023, the company collapsed into bankruptcy, shuttered 82 stores, and laid off 800 employees. Critics accused Aurelius of asset-stripping—prioritizing short-term profit over long-term viability.
According to reader comments on industry trade sites, LSG had hoped to poach Gate Gourmet’s San Francisco workforce after landing the United contract. That strategy, it seems, may have contributed to the chaos.
Aviation’s Trump University?
United in February declared it had the largest fleet in the country after taking delivery of its 1,000th aircraft. Unfortunately for Scott Kirby, there’s a looming shortage of pilots. He himself has warned that 50% of U.S. commercial pilots will retire within the next 15 years, creating what he called a “vacuum of highly experienced aviators.”
United’s solution? In February 2020—just months before Kirby was promoted from president to CEO—United acquired the Westwind School of Aeronautics in Phoenix and rebranded it as the United Aviate Academy (UAA). The goal: train 10,000 new pilots over the next decade.
The pitch was enticing: a fast-track, one-year training program designed to funnel novice students to commercial cockpits. But the reality, according to multiple lawsuits, is that UAA is more akin to Trump University than the U.S. Air Force Academy, which Kirby himself attended and where he earned bachelor’s degrees in computer science and operations research. (He also holds a Master of Science degree from George Washington University.)
Last month, several former students filed suit against UAA and United, alleging “consumer fraud” and “deceptive trade practices.” As reported by Flying magazine, the plaintiffs claim they were misled about the program’s duration, structure, and capacity to deliver on its lofty promises. They were sold a streamlined, intensive curriculum—but many allegedly faced delays due to shortages of flight instructors, aircraft, and institutional support.
One former student, Carrie Lynne Thompson, filed a separate lawsuit echoing these claims. Her complaint outlines UAA’s advertised structure:
Private pilot training (2 months)
Instrument rating (2 months)
Commercial single-engine initial (3 months)
Commercial multi-engine add-on (1 month)
Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) (2 months)
Certified Flight Instructor – Instrument (CFII) (1 month)
Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI) (1 month)
Seven licenses. Twelve months. Zero margin for error. From the same airline that outsources aircraft maintenance to contractors in China and Latin America.
Just for comparison: cosmetology schools in many U.S. states also require a full year of training—and their graduates aren’t entrusted with 200 souls and 80 tons of aluminum at 36,000 feet.
Flight Attendant Lawsuits
United loves to feature its flight attendants as a cheerful, camera-ready corps devoted to customer care. The airline’s advertising, however, doesn’t square with the tone of recent litigation.
One such case involves Fillippo Marinesi, a United flight attendant since 2014 and recipient of the airline’s prestigious One Hundred Award, which recognizes employees who go above and beyond.
As reported by Aviation A2Z, Marinesi alleges that United hired a private investigator to surveil him while he was recovering from a spinal injury sustained on a long-haul flight to Dubai. Financially strapped during his unpaid medical leave, Marinesi moved from Newark to Florida to be closer to family.
Over several days, the investigator allegedly photographed him engaging in what United interpreted as unauthorized work—such as handling food in a family-run restaurant.
These images, along with screenshots from Marinesi’s public social media profiles, were allegedly used by United to build a case that he was working during his medical leave. Marinesi maintains the restaurant had not yet opened to the public, and the activities captured on camera took place during a private family gathering—not as formal employment.
Even if Marinesi had been working a shift, it only underscores the indignity: an airline that reported more than $57 billion in 2024 revenues and whose CEO pocketed $72.1 million over four years allegedly sent a private eye to bust an injured flight attendant scraping together a few extra bucks.
And remember—Marinesi supposedly wasn’t even receiving full pay.
It’s no secret flight attendants have long reported needing second jobs just to get by. Some, according to multiple reports, have admitted to eating leftover passenger food. But by all means, let’s surveil the guy with a back injury.
Wouldn’t it be something if United tracked lost luggage with the same zeal it allegedly applied to hunting down one of its own award-winning flight attendants?
Violent Veteran Purser?
Then there’s the case of veteran purser Aixa Medina, who told Aviation A2Z she was terminated after enforcing federal mask regulations on a flight where a passenger refused to mask her child. Despite following protocol, the situation escalated into a physical confrontation—and Medina was fired.
Medina’s lawsuit alleges wrongful termination and breach of union representation by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA).
According to Medina, during deplaning, an unmasked passenger threw a soiled mask in her face, triggering an aggressive onboard attack. Though flight attendants are trained to apply minimal restraint to manage onboard incidents, Medina says her attempt to control the situation was later used against her.
Media, a 25-year United veteran, also alleges that the captain and crew failed to intervene or call security ahead of the confrontation—leaving her exposed and unsupported as the situation turned violent.
My Legal Fantasy
I’d love nothing more than to preside over litigation involving United Airlines. I’d run my courtroom the way Scott Kirby runs his airline: Justice would be delayed, inconvenient, and obscenely overpriced.
United’s lawyers would be required to arrive two hours before the scheduled trial start—only to sit idly as the proceedings were indefinitely delayed due to undisclosed “maintenance issues.” I’d slip security a few bucks to give them a full TSA-style pat-down –bonus money if they conducted a full strip search.
United’s lawyers wouldn’t automatically get to sit at the counsel table, of course. That would require an upgrade—available for a steep fee. Bring in a briefcase? That would be extra. Oversized litigation bag? That would cost them more than United imagined Fillippo Marinesi made handling breadsticks.
My big money maker would be the cost I’d charge United’s lawyers to approach my bench. I’d call it a “Judge Engagement Fee.”
And to ensure the jury endured the full United experience, I’d replace the juror box chairs with seating from United’s Basic Economy section.
A tip of the wing to you, Scott Kirby! There are legions of disgraceful American CEOs, but you truly are in a league of your own.