(Editor's Note: This article should have published on June 20, 2025, but was delayed due to a technical issue)

By Teresa Rivas 

United Airlines Holdings

United Airlines Holdings was once known for its slogan "Fly the friendly skies." Yet, persuading investors to put their trust in a historically volatile industry is a process that starts from the ground up, says CEO Scott Kirby.

"I only have one responsibility: Create an airline that our employees are proud of, because then they're going to take care of everything else," he says.

That includes offering differentiated service that leads to customer loyalty.

Kirby, 57, makes his first appearance on Barron's list of Top CEOs during a tumultuous year for the airline industry -- one marked by deadly accidents and travel bans, not to mention the Trump administration's shifting policy on tariffs. United issued two sets of guidance to account for the potential impact of tariffs; some peers pulled their guidance entirely.

Expert execution has allowed United's stock to soar above the fray, or at least above shares of Delta Air Lines and American Airlines.

For Kirby, it comes down to finding solutions instead of excuses: "A CEO's job is to deal with uncertainty," he says. "If everything were certain, why do CEOs get paid so much?"

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 23, 2025 21:32 ET (01:32 GMT)

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