United's CEO Proclaims the Budget Airline Model Is Dead and Argues They 'Screw the Customer'

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby slams the budget airline model: 'It's dead'

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby.Hyoung Chang/Denver Post via Getty ImagesUnited Airlines CEO Scott Kirby criticized the budget airline model in a recent interview.Speaking at The Wall Street Journal's "Future of Everything" event, Kirby said the model was "dead."His comments came the same day United announced a new partnership with JetBlue.United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby earlier this week took a shot at what he called the "crappy" budget airline…

United's CEO proclaims the budget airline model is dead and argues they 'screw the customer'

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told The Wall Street Journal in an interview on Thursday the budget airline model is dead, adding that these “crappy” models “screw the customer.” Kirby’s interview was on the same day, however, as the announcement of a partnership between United and JetBlue, which many consider to be a budget airline. All eyes have been on airlines recently as problems with antiquated air traffic control systems have led to mass …

United Chief Dismisses Budget Airline Model as 'Dead' and 'Crappy'

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has harsh words for budget carriers, calling their business model "dead." "It's dead. Look, it's a crappy model. Sorry," he said when asked about the budget airline approach. Kirby argued that budget carriers like Southwest, Spirit, and Frontier built their operations around what he characterized as customer-hostile practices, saying "The model was, screw the customer ... Trick people, get them to buy, get them to…