According to United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, airfares do not rise when they should. They rise when airlines are “forced” to act. In that, Kirby muses, is a lesson on how airlines can get away with raising fares.
During United’s 2026 Q1 earnings call, CEO Scott Kirby explained that airline pricing is often held back by internal politics.
Revenue management teams understand that demand for air travel is relatively inelastic and that fares could be higher. But marketing and communications teams push back, warning that higher fares send the wrong message or risk backlash. And those teams tend to win.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Live and Let's Fly.
