United’s Kirby to take over for CEO Munoz
Three years after being dumped by a rival, Scott Kirby will become the next CEO of United Airlines, where he has played a key role in leading a turnaround of the once-moribund carrier.
United announced Thursday that CEO Oscar Munoz will step down in May and be succeeded by Kirby, currently the airline’s president.
Munoz has led the airline since 2015 during a tumultuous time that included the brutal dragging of a passenger off an overcrowded plane and an aggressive growth plan designed to recapture United’s glory days.
Munoz recruited Kirby days after Kirby was ousted as the No. 2 official at American Airlines, where he was widely considered a future CEO. Kirby, 52, has figured prominently in decisions including a refresh of United’s fleet and a bold plan — initially resisted by Wall Street — to aggressively add new routes from its hub airports such as Chicago and San Francisco.
“When he arrived, United was a hot mess,” said travel analyst Henry Harteveldt. “Scott has focused on improving United reliability and productivity, and it’s a much more reliable airline than it used to be.”
In a statement issued by United on Thursday, Munoz said, “I brought Scott to United three years ago, and I am confident that there is no one in the world better equipped to lead United to even greater heights.”
Munoz, 60, will serve as executive chairman for a year after stepping down as CEO. United’s current chairman, Jane Garvey, will retire from the board in May.
A month after taking the CEO job in 2015, Munoz suffered a heart attack and later underwent a heart transplant.
Shares of Chicago-based United Airlines Holdings Inc. fell 31 cents to close Thursday at $87.86.