United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby must have felt like patting himself and his airline on the back.
While in Houston on business recently, Kirby met with the local media, as well as employees and government officials, and had much to say.
Especially when it came to the pandemic and the changing airline business.
"United was literally the only airline in the world that got COVID right. We were the only ones who fully believed that COVID would be ugly, but travel would return," he said.
He also said that as United approaches its centennial anniversary, the airline is a "three-year-old startup embedded in a 98-year-old airline."
Without getting all religious, Kirby likely meant that United is an airline that was born again during the pandemic. In retrospect, he asserted that United made the right decision in not retiring airplanes and decreasing its fleet.
The only airline that did so, he said. "We made big bets."
One of those bets includes a purchase order for more planes that will significantly expand United's fleet. Because United decided to bet on the fleet as well as select airports and some lounges, he insisted that it bet correctly and that other airlines did not.
"I think we’re the best but there is many things we can still do better," he said. "It is an understatement to say we are the best airline in the history of aviation. We will be in a whole other league."
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