United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has cautioned that the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, if extended, could soon start to dent consumer confidence and hurt airline bookings.
Speaking during the company’s earnings call on Thursday, Kirby said the carrier has not yet felt a direct impact, but warned that “each passing day increases the risk to the U.S. economy.”
“At least for the first couple of weeks, people thought it was going to get resolved,” Kirby said. “But as time goes on, people start to lose confidence in the government’s ability to resolve this — and that’s going to start to impact bookings.”
The shutdown, which began October 1 after Congress failed to approve a funding bill, requires essential federal employees — including Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers and air traffic controllers — to work without pay.
Kirby’s remarks echo a similar warning made last week by Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian, who also said that while airline operations remain stable, a prolonged shutdown could ripple across the travel sector.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has already flagged concerns over thin staffing levels at key facilities, which disrupted flights in Nashville and Burbank last week. Meanwhile, air traffic controllers’ unions have staged awareness campaigns at major airports including LaGuardia (New York), Washington D.C., and Chicago, urging lawmakers to end the deadlock.
A previous month-long government shutdown in late 2018 ended only after staff shortages caused widespread flight delays in the New York area — a scenario airlines are hoping to avoid this time around.
