United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby faces backlash over wealth tax call

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby faced criticism from conservative figures and calls for a boycott of the airline on October 20 after backing a national wealth tax in a recent New York Times interview. The Guardian reported the backlash, while Business Insider also reported Kirby’s support for the tax.

Kirby said wealth inequality had become a ‘danger to society’, according to Business Insider. He argued that a national tax was necessary because people could move away from a state that imposed one. He also supported inheritance taxes approaching 100% at some level and said he would pay them, both outlets reported.

Who criticized Kirby’s tax comments

Business Insider put Kirby’s total 2025 compensation at more than $32 million, citing United’s filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. That figure became part of the dispute over whether a highly paid executive’s call for higher taxes was credible. The reported boycott calls establish a reaction to his comments; their effect on United’s business is unclear.

California’s billionaire tax vote

Kirby’s comments came as California voters were due to consider a proposed 5% tax on billionaires in November, the Guardian reported. Business Insider described opposition to the measure by wealthy Californians and reported that Google co-founder Sergey Brin had donated $102 million to a group seeking to counter it through competing initiatives. The state proposal is separate from the nationwide tax Kirby advocated.

The New York Times interview also covered the cost of flying. Kirby told the newspaper that current fares were being compared with unusually low prices during the pandemic, when travel largely stopped. He said airlines had to charge enough to cover the cost of flying and maintained that fares remained below their 2019 level after adjusting for inflation, according to the Guardian.

On seat selection, Kirby defended charging passengers for services they want, including aisle or window seats. The Guardian cited US Labor Department data showing that airline fares rose about 20% from September 2019 to September 2026, compared with a 31% rise in overall consumer prices.