United shares sink 12% after CEO admits airline is in a 'competitive hole'

United shares plunged 12% after CEO Oscar Munoz told investors the company has dug itself into "a little bit of a competitive hole." During an earnings call Thursday, Munoz and other company executives faced a firestorm of questions from Wall Street analysts about the company's performance. And, apparently, their answers did little to quell investors' concerns. United has suffered lately as the company has struggled to keep costs down, maintain its market share, and earn back customers' trust amid a high-profile customer service scandal that rocked the company in April. Its shares are down nearly 18% so far this year. While executives maintained an optimistic tone on Thursday, they also frustrated some analyst by deflecting questions about the company's 2018 outlook. "So as we head into 2018, one of the reasons we're not talking too much about it is we are deep, deep at work with regards to that," Munoz said in response to one inquiry about the company's profit expectations. In an effort to get back on track, the company has made some bold moves recently. For instance, it's now trying to compete in the ultra-cheap flying market by offering cheaper tickets for no-amenities flights, where people are charged for bringing a carry-on bag. Kirby said he thinks the company is a good position to compete with other "ultra-low-cost carriers" in the U.S., but admitted the strategy hasn't been without its hangups.<br/>