United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has declined to comment on his own multimillion-dollar compensation package after publicly warning that widening wealth inequality poses a fundamental danger to modern society.
During a recent interview, Kirby addressed the declining public trust in corporate leadership and argued for sweeping economic policy changes, including a national wealth tax and an inheritance tax approaching 100 percent.
“We should have a national wealth tax—it won’t work by state, because people will just move,” Kirby stated during the interview, adding that he would personally pay such levies. “And I think we should have inheritance taxes that get close to 100 percent at some level. Wealth inequality has become a danger to our society, and we need to address that.”
Despite his outspoken stance on economic disparities, Kirby did not specify the exact asset thresholds that should trigger his proposed near-total inheritance tax, nor did he provide specific rates for a national wealth tax.
Financial disclosures from the airline’s 2026 proxy statement indicate that Kirby took home approximately $32.3 million in total compensation during the 2025 fiscal year. That figure, which comprises a base salary, stock awards, and performance incentives, amounted to roughly 334 times the median employee compensation at United Airlines, which stood at $96,670.
The executive’s remarks drew immediate public scrutiny, including pointed criticism from television commentators and social media users who noted a disconnect between his executive pay and his populist policy prescriptions. Critics also highlighted the airline’s pricing strategies for elite seating tiers.
During the same interview, Kirby defended the carrier’s practice of charging passengers extra fees to secure preferred seating, such as avoiding middle seats or selecting window locations, telling interviewers that delivering those specific seating options incurs operational costs.
Media inquiries sent to United Airlines regarding how leadership justifies collecting $32.3 million annually while characterizing wealth inequality as a societal threat—and whether the chief executive would consider reducing his own pay—went unanswered. The comments also provoked adverse reactions online, with some travelers expressing intent to alter their carrier preferences and others urging corporate leadership to prioritize baseline operational fundamentals, including flight safety, schedule reliability, and ticket pricing for domestic routes.
