CEO of United Airlines Spotted on Rival Airline

The CEO of United Airlines might be a bit too sociable while traveling. Scott Kirby, 58, was seen flying first class on American Airlines, which is noteworthy since that’s his previous employer. American Airlines has faced criticism multiple times since his departure a decade ago, and there was even talk of a merger at one point.

Kirk was on a flight out of San Francisco International Airport on Friday when a flight attendant, Christine Tyree, took a photo with him. She shared her experience on Facebook, saying, “Look at the people in first class from San Francisco today. What great people.” She added that he was friendly and wanted to meet everyone.

This social media post sparked quite a reaction, with many questioning why the CEO of United Airlines would choose to fly on a competitor’s airline instead of his own.

Interestingly, Kirby still enjoys travel perks from American Airlines due to his prior role as president from 2013 to 2016. He was let go in his last year there, allowing Robert Isom, his rival, to rise to CEO of American Airlines.

Despite the tumultuous past, it seems Kirby adapted well at United, where he’s both been a strong leader and has made many jabs at his former employer. Recently, he even pushed for a merger between United and American, even bringing it up directly with former President Trump in a meeting last February.

Although Kirby confirmed that United was looking into merging, it appears Isom and American Airlines weren’t keen on the idea. “It’s about addition, not subtraction, and we were confident that this combination would win regulatory approval, creating a truly great airline that our customers love,” Kirby stated. He expressed disappointment over American’s refusal to engage in further discussions on the merger proposal.

Kirby mentioned that the rejection marked the end of his efforts to form a partnership with American Airlines. As of now, United Airlines hasn’t commented on the situation.