Airline execs now see accelerated full business travel recovery

“By far the biggest and most impactful question being debated is the question about business travel returning,” said United CEO Scott Kirby. “Put me firmly in the camp it is going to return in full.” Kirby made the comments as part of a panel of executives that included bosses at British Airways and Easyjet on a CarTrawler webinar Wednesday. They echoed comments Kirby has made on recent investor calls. The optimism impacts United’s thinking about its fleet. “A number of our competitors in the U.S. and internationally, as the pandemic deepened, particularly as the second wave hit, decided to retire a bunch of their airplanes,” Kirby said. “We didn’t retire any airplanes, and we viewed it as an opportunity to actually double down and turn right when everyone else was turning left.” The carrier even made a historic order for more. It has net added “more than 500 aircraft” to its fleet, including the orders, Kirby said. “That’s the right call,” Kirby said. “Demand is going to be robust, and we’re going to be able to grow. If we can do it at the same time everyone else is constrained and unable to grow, it just creates a unique opportunity for United Airlines. So we’re really quite bullish.” CEO of British Airways Sean Doyle echoed Kirby’s optimism. Doyle said the airline saw a bump once the UK reopened its borders recently.<br/>