United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby announced on March 20, 2026, that the carrier will not furlough employees or defer aircraft orders despite jet fuel prices more than doubling in three weeks due to U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran disrupting Middle East oil exports.
In a staff message on the United Airlines website, Kirby stated the airline possesses sufficient financial strength to prioritize long-term strategy. “Many of you will remember in United’s past that storm clouds like this caused United to furlough employees, defer aircraft orders, downgrade to regional jets, go through cost cutting exercises, delay investments in the future, etc. We are NOT going to do that. We have the financial firepower to continue to stay focused on the long term.”
Sustained prices at current levels would add $11 billion annually to fuel expenses, exceeding United’s record profit of less than $5 billion. The plan assumes oil reaches $175 per barrel and remains above $100 until late 2027. “Honestly, I think there’s a good chance it won’t be that bad, but there isn’t much downside for us to preparing for that outcome,” Kirby noted.
To counter short-term impacts, United will reduce capacity by 5 percentage points in Q2 and Q3: 3 points from off-peak flights like redeyes and Tuesday/Wednesday/Saturday routes, 1 point at Chicago O’Hare pending FAA approval, and 1 point from suspending Tel Aviv and Dubai service. Full schedules are set to resume this fall, with 120 new aircraft deliveries planned for 2026, including 20 Boeing 787s, and 130 more by April 2028.
Demand has held firm, with United logging its 10 biggest booked revenue weeks recently.