Full First Class, Empty Economy? That Won’t Work, Says United Exec
Photo Credit: United Airlines Chief Customer Officer David Kinzelman on stage at Skift Aviation Forum 2025. Skift
Skift Take
Premium customers may be driving travel spending these days, but United’s David Kinzelman said airlines can’t forget about economy travelers.
U.S. airlines have been going all-in on premium travel this year, adding more perks for top-tier flyers, expanding premium seating, and launching premium credit cards.
United Airlines is no exception, with plans to roll out new premium cabins on its 787 Dreamliners for international flights. But that doesn’t mean it wants to alienate its economy passengers, according to one executive.
“We're not going to let that happen, because those are the majority of our customers,” said United Chief Customer Officer and Senior Vice President of Airport Operations David Kinzelman. “We can't be profitable running an empty plane with a full first class.”
That means inves
