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WASHINGTON, DC — Yesterday, United Airlines announced an astonishing $1.5 billion stock buyback plan—a handout to wealthy investors that comes as the airline giant reports $965 million in Q3 2024 earnings. The airline’s focus on investors over employees and customers has drawn criticism, with the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) calling stock buybacks like this “a sickness that hurts workers and consumers alike.”

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While the Biden-Harris administration puts its best foot forward to lower airline costs, industry giants like United Airlines are spending billions to benefit wealthy investors. Excessive fees on baggage, cancellations, and flight changes have cost customers enough. No one buys that airline giants like United need to charge hidden fees while they boast of billions in stock buybacks in the same breath.”

Accountable.US Liz Zelnick

Despite sky-high profits, United Airlines vigorously opposed the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) efforts to regulate junk fees charged by airlines. The company joined a lawsuit, led by the trade group Airlines for America, to block a rule requiring transparency in pricing. In 2023, United Airlines paid over $1 million in dues to Airlines for America. 

During the pandemic, the airline industry accepted $63 billion in aid from the federal government and United Airlines received $10.9 billion to cover costs. Since the pandemic, United Airlines, and five other major airlines, have spent $20 million lobbying against Biden-Harris administration efforts to lower airline costs. 

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