The former CEO of United Airlines reveals how he was able to revitalize a struggling airline by investing in his employees.
Why It’s Important
Oscar Munoz became the CEO of United Airlines in a difficult moment in the company’s history. The major airline had a terrible reputation, its merger with Continental Airlines had fallen through, its technical and fiscal track records were weakening, and the airline was involved in numerous public scandals—such as the 2017 incident where a passenger was forcefully removed from his seat and carried out covered in blood and bruises.
Airlines are difficult industries to manage, with high-pressure stakes, low-profit margins, and little margin for error. This left Munoz with difficult choices to make if he wanted to rebuild United Airlines with a better reputation.
In his new book Turnaround Time: Uniting an Airline And Its Employees In the Friendly Skies, Munoz tells the story of how he led United through a terrible moment in its history and solved many of its problems by focusing on investing in its employees—after recovering from a massive heart attack just a month into the job.
Notable Quote
“Oscar and the people he led, both with new leases on life, would go on to weather more turbulence, overcoming battles with investors and navigating several PR crises—including a global pandemic—to deliver top-tier operational performance, strong returns to shareholders, and ascending levels of customer satisfaction. By the end of his tenure, the people of United were finally flying together as one team, defying pessimism from industry insiders and rekindling optimism from employees and the customers they served,” says the publisher.
What the Critics Are Saying
Live And Let Fly praised Munoz as a great leader who was approachable and set up his employees for success. “I have fond memories of Oscar Munoz and have enjoyed many excellent conversations with him over the years. It is good when a CEO is approachable, relatable, kind, and caring… And the fact that he overcame a massive heart attack that required a heart transplant makes the story even more special.”
View From the Wing offered a more mixed reaction to Munoz’s tenure, acknowledging the notable improvements to the airline and leadership while acknowledging the severe mistakes made along the way. “Munoz showed promise for United early on but stumbled. I will read his book and indulge his narrative that will no doubt be one of ‘airline in trouble, but executive listens to employees and turns around a culture.’ But it’s his choice of airline President that is his legacy.”