In an interview that took place this morning on NBC’s Today Show, Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, discussed the Biden Administration’s proposed rule that airlines compensate passengers in cash in cases where delays or cancellations are conclusively the airlines’ fault. This comes amidst calls from industry stakeholders and consumers for better handling of flight delays and cancellations.
During the interview, Guthrie asked Kirby about his views on the proposed rule and if he shared the sentiment of his industry peers who say they would pass on the cost to consumers if such a rule was enforced. Kirby responded by emphasizing the current operational excellence at United Airlines, while redirecting focus towards the air traffic control issues plaguing the aviation industry.
Kirby stated, “As I said before, United [is] running the best operation we have in history and by far the biggest issue in aviation is air traffic control.” He cited the FAA’s claim that there’s a shortage of 3,000 controllers, identifying this as the primary issue to be addressed.
More crucially, Kirby expressed concerns that such compensation rules could compromise flight safety. “We built the safest industry in the world and the United States safety system is by far the pinnacle of safety standard anywhere in the world, and we’ve done that by telling our employees, don’t ever think about cost. It’s always about safety, safety, safety. It’s in our DNA”. According to him, the introduction of cost-related considerations could influence employee decision-making regarding flight delays or cancellations.
Guthrie followed up on Kirby’s comments, seeking to confirm that he believed introducing cost considerations would create safety concerns. Kirby affirmed, stating that the proposed policy could incentivize more frequent flight operations. This, he argued, could naturally lead employees to consider cost implications when deciding on safety-related matters, which goes against the grain of the aviation industry’s safety-first ethos.
Kirby stressed, “I don’t want our employees even thinking about cost when they’re making safety decisions. We spent our whole careers in aviation telling employees don’t think about cost, only think about safety and this would just start to chip away at that structural foundation of safety in the industry.” He suggested that the policy was a step away from the public interest and safety of the passengers.
As the debate over the proposed rule continues, stakeholders will have to weigh the demand for better airline accountability against the potential safety concerns highlighted by industry leaders like Kirby.
