Profitability will return with business and long-haul travel: United’s Kirby

United Airlines’ CE Scott Kirby says the carrier will not turn a profit until business travellers and long-haul international travellers return in greater numbers. Kirby says that while people have become accustomed to remote work, companies and employees will not maintain the work-from-home trend forever. “The pandemic has not changed human desire to be together and to connect,” he says. “Business travel is not about transactions, it’s about building relationships. We need to get back to about 65% of business demand and international long-haul demand to get to break even.” That can be achieved at the “end of this year, sometime early next year”. For the moment, ahead of the busy summer vacation travel season, the airline is beefing up its domestic schedule to leisure destinations that offer outdoor activities, such as beaches, theme parks and national parks. <br/>