scott kirby american airlines: what happened?

Alright, let's get this straight. Scott Kirby, the CEO of United Airlines, is out here making pronouncements like he's some kind of airline industry oracle. He says there will only be two "large, revenue diverse, full service, brand loyal airlines" in the US – United and Delta. Everyone else? Chopped liver, apparently.

Give me a break.

Kirby's Kingdom of Clouds?

Kirby's been flapping his gums about American Airlines' problems in Chicago, saying he "wouldn’t want to play American’s hand" there. Okay, fine. Maybe American is struggling. But to declare that only United and Delta will survive? That's not confidence, that's hubris on a scale I haven't seen since… well, since Doug Parker, the former American Airlines CEO, said they'd never lose money again. Remember that one? Yeah, how'd that work out?

He even claims United has overtaken Delta by most metrics. Oh really? Because last time I checked, Delta wasn't exactly begging for spare change on the corner. And then he throws in the caveat about Newark and Delta's oil refinery business. So, basically, he's saying United is only almost as good as Delta if you ignore a couple of pretty big factors. Right.

This whole thing smacks of classic Kirby. He's got a history of kicking American while it's down. Maybe it's because he started his career there, or at least at one of its many previous forms (America West, US Airways). He claims he architected their merger strategy and is now using the same "playbook" at United. But let's be real, is that playbook really about "brand loyalty," or is it about cutting costs and squeezing every last penny out of passengers? As United CEO Scott Kirby Confidently Declares That American Is Cooked - One Mile at a Time reports, Kirby has been publicly commenting on American's struggles.

American: Proving Kirby Right?

The sad part is, American seems to be doing everything it can to prove Kirby right. Their current strategy of "focusing on the customer" sounds nice and all, but it's about as effective as bringing a water pistol to a wildfire. You need more than just good customer service to compete in this cutthroat industry. You need a real strategy, a vision, something beyond just not being actively terrible.

And frankly, I'm not seeing it.

American lost money in Q3 2025. So what? Every airline has bad quarters. But it's the why that matters. Is it a temporary setback, or a sign of deeper problems? I don't know, but I'm not exactly filled with optimism.

Some people accuse me of having an unrequited love for Delta and an obsession with Scott Kirby. Maybe they're right. Maybe I'm just a bitter old cynic who can't stand to see anyone succeed. But I call it like I see it, and what I see is an airline industry teetering on the edge of disaster, led by CEOs who are more interested in patting themselves on the back than actually fixing the problems.

The Illusion of Control

Kirby thinks he's got it all figured out. He thinks he can control the market, dictate the future of air travel. But the truth is, the airline industry is a chaotic mess, subject to the whims of fuel prices, weather, and the ever-fickle tastes of consumers. To think that any one person, or any one airline, can truly dominate is just plain delusional.

Is it even possible to build true brand loyalty in the airline industry anymore? Let's be real, most people just pick the cheapest flight that gets them where they need to go. They don't care about the airline, they care about the price. And if that's the case, then Kirby's whole "brand loyalty" strategy is built on a foundation of sand.

This Ain't Over 'Til It's Over

Scott Kirby's vision of a two-airline world is just that – a vision. A fantasy. And while United might be doing well now, that doesn't mean they're immune to the forces that have brought down countless airlines before them. The airline industry is a brutal, unforgiving place, and no amount of hubris can change that. Offcourse, I could be wrong. But I doubt it.

Give Me a Break...

I'm calling BS on this whole thing. Kirby's arrogance is going to be the downfall of United. Mark my words.