United Airlines CEO Says American’s Firing Felt Like “Betrayal,” But Made Him “Better”

Published Oct 18, 2026, 5:15 PM EDT Paul Thompson is an aviation & travel journalist, photographer, & airplane geek with over 25 years of experience at a large domestic US carrier. He is based in Denver, Colorado. Scott Kirby built his three-decade aviation career by overseeing change. He is now with his fourth large US airline, working as CEO at United Airlines after being fired from his role as President of American Airlines in 2016. 10 years later, he reflected on his ouster from American in an interview with The New York Times. He told The Times that being fired from American made him furious. After breaking the news to his wife, the next person he called was a board member at United. Kirby had something to prove, and continues working on his mission to make United, "The best airline in the history of aviation." From The Air Force To The Airlines Kirby graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with bachelor's degrees in computer science and operations research. He had hoped to become a fighter pilot, but was disqualified when he couldn't fly an F-4 Phantom straight and level with his eyes closed, according to Air & Space Forces Magazine. It was discovered that spatial inner ear limitations would keep him out of the flight deck. He began his career working as a budget analyst under the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon for three years. He joined America West Airlines in 1995, where he rose through the ranks and moved into executive roles. Ultimately, he became Executive Vice President and helped orchestrate the airline's 2005 merger with US Airways. In his interview with the Times, Kirby said being fired from American made him a better CEO for United than he would have been at American. "I am a better C.E.O. of United Airlines because of what happened than I would have been a C.E.O. of American. It did force introspection. I firmly believe in no excuses, and when bad stuff happens to you, it doesn’t matter if it’s fair, it doesn’t matter if somebody treated you wrong, it doesn’t matter why. The only person that can make it better is you." A Career Of Mergers & Changes Credit: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock When America West bought US Airways in 2005, the combined carriers kept the US Airways name and brand, but the America West executive team, including Kirby, remained. America West was the smaller of the two airlines, but US Airways was going through bankruptcy. America West could purchase US Airways' debts and assets in what's known as a reverse merger. Though the merger was complete on paper, full integration took years as workgroups battled over seniority lists and pay contracts. US Airways announced its merger with American on Valentine's Day in 2013, amid American's Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This time, the American branding was kept for its broader global recognition. Once again, Doug Parker's leadership team took the helm of the combined companies. The merger closed December 9, 2013, and the final US Airways flight took place on October 17, 2015. Kirby became President of American and had positioned himself to become CEO, but Parker said Robert Isom was heir apparent and fired Kirby on August 29, 2016. American did not saddle Kirby with a non-compete clause, but he was given $13 million. Kirby joined United Airlines as president the same day. He replaced Oscar Munoz as CEO at United's annual shareholders' meeting in 2020. Moving Forward At United Credit: Shutterstock Kirby's ascension to CEO at United coincided with the massive downturn in air travel caused by COVID-19 travel restrictions. United reported a net loss of $7.1 billion for 2020, and $1.96 billion in 2021. United took out a $6.8 billion loan, using its loyalty program as collateral to keep the airline operating. Kirby also took no pay during this period. United returned to profitability in 2022, posting a $737 million gain. United has since refocused on growth. At its Denver International Airport (DEN) hub, United's operation has increased to 386 daily flights from 90 gates, when combining mainline and regional operations. This summer, United grew its operation at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to a record 750 flights per day. The Airbus A321XLR has joined the fleet, replacing the Boeing 757 on long routes with thin demand. During Kirby's tenure, United has continued to innovate the passenger experience. A new feature in United's app, Connection Saver, gives passengers turn-by-turn walking directions to their connecting gate, along with estimated walk times. The airline says Connection Saver saved approximately 1 million missed connections in 2025. United also continues rolling out Starlink WiFi across its fleet and is participating in TSA PreCheck Touchless ID.