As United Airlines continues to grapple with a series of safety incidents that have raised concern among passengers, the airline’s CEO, Scott Kirby, has issued a firm commitment to their safety and responded to the incidents in a candid manner.
When the Skywest 5701 flight veered off a taxiway in Maine, it was an event that added to the perceptible concern and unease among the public regarding safety within the aviation industry. Another United Express flight saw a landing gear failure that resulted in a belly landing on a Houston runway. Further, an engine fire forced a United flight to return to Denver soon after takeoff. Each incident in isolation seems like an unfortunate mishap. However, the recent cluster has raised eyebrows among consumers and stakeholders alike.
Addressing these concerns, Scott Kirby painted a picture of devoted diligence and proactive action. He maintained that safety remains the airline’s number one priority, a non-negotiable aspect rooted deeply in their day-to-day operations. Kirby downplayed the incidents as a cluster of events that happened to fall within a short timeframe, not a systemic failure of safety protocols.
Kirby stated, We want our customers to understand that these incidents, while concerning and serious, represent a small fraction of the thousands of flights we operate daily. He reminded the public that the airline operates nearly 5,000 flights a day and serves millions of customers each year. Kirby added, There is and never will be a compromise on safety.”
Expanding on the measures in place to ensure safety, the CEO highlighted that rigorous checks and maintenance cycles were in place, beyond merely meeting federal regulations. He stressed that United’s maintenance team conducts regular checks before every flight takes off. Aircraft and engines undergo preventative maintenance cycles that include daily, overnight, and more extensive checks every few days, along with heavy maintenance visits every several years.
After the triad of incidents, United Airlines took a series of actions that included grounding the affected planes, contacting the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and launching comprehensive investigations to identify any potential issues.
Kirby also addressed the criticism that United Airlines has faced in wake of these incidents. He felt it imperative to assure millions of customers that these incidents were isolated and extraordinary. Kirby maintained that aviation as an industry is safer than it has ever been, and United Airlines continually works to keep it that way.
He explained that the airline and its regional partners have implemented additional inspections and certain operational policies as necessary. However, he further pledged to reassess and improve existing safety measures, stating If there is ever an incident, we learn, change, and improve.
While not downplaying the gravity of such incidents, Kirby underlined that these were statistically infrequent. He stated that United Airlines carries approximately 150 million passengers annually. Against that backdrop, the relative frequency of these incidents is minimal. Notwithstanding, Kirby said even a single incident is one too many and pledged to do everything possible to ensure safety.
Scott Kirby’s message to wary passengers is unequivocal. For United Airlines, safety is not a checkbox, but rather represents the heartbeat of their operation. The CEO’s assurance and measures taken by the airline following these incidents indicate a sincere commitment to passenger safety and maintaining trust. His promise to continually learn and improve from every incident underscores United Airline’s unflinching dedication to safety in every aspect of its operations.