United’s President and Chief Executive Officer Oscar Munoz plans to return to those roles on a full-time basis on March 14, 2016.
Oscar has already been participating actively in all major corporate decisions and meeting frequently with employees, shareholders, and other stakeholders during his recovery.
Oscar said, “I am thrilled to return full-time to a job and the employees I love. Since September when I became CEO, our team has been focused on our employees, improving the operation and the customer experience, and the results are starting to show … We have a lot of positive momentum, but this is just the beginning. There is significant work underway and we see substantial upside yet to come.”
View the video below for a message from Oscar to our employees.
Henry L. Meyer III, Non-Executive Chairman of United’s Board of Directors, said, “The Board is confident in the strength and potential of United’s business – and very pleased that Oscar will be returning to the roles of President and Chief Executive Officer on a full-time basis. We expect him to continue leading the company’s improving operational and financial performance, driving increased shareholder value, and innovating and elevating United’s customer and employee experience. We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to Brett Hart for his superb leadership as acting CEO.”
United has also been upgrading its customer experience with free snacks and premium coffee, providing improved WiFi onboard, and modernizing its United Clubs and airport lounges. These and other enhancements are delivering continued improvement in United’s customer satisfaction, employee pride, and financial performance.
“Our progress isn’t just limited to the operation,” Oscar said. “Financially, we have been performing well. United’s 2015 earnings were one of the best in the Company’s history, and we made significant progress shrinking the margin gap with our closest competitors, strengthening our balance sheet, and returning significant cash to shareholders. United spent $1.2 billion repurchasing shares in 2015 and plans to spend $1.5 billion on share repurchases in the first quarter of 2016.”
For additional information, please read our news release.