United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has an adorable family. The father of seven kids has been married since 2013 to Kathleen McCleary. Let’s meet his wife and children.
Scott Kirby is an American business executive.
After studying at the U.S. Air Force Academy, he has spent the past three decades working in the airline business.
He is currently serving as the CEO of United Airlines. Kirby was appointed chief executive officer of United Airlines in 2020 just as United was facing the worst crisis in its history caused by the pandemic.
He previously served as President of US Airways and American Airlines, as well as President of United Airlines from 2016 to 2020, when he was promoted to CEO.
On July 2023, he was forced to issue an apology for flying private the same week the airline canceled thousands of flights leaving customers stranded.
When Scott is not busy with his day-to-day activities and schedules, he’s always home with his adorable family. He is a married man and a responsible father. Let’s meet his family.
Who is Scott Kirby’s wife?
The businessman’s real name is John Scott Kirby and was born on August 13, 1967, in the United States.
Kirby was raised as the oldest of six children in Rowlett, Texas. In high school, he played baseball and football and had aspirations of becoming a professional athlete. He received his bachelor’s degree in computer science and operations research from the United States Air Force Academy, where he trained to be an aircraft pilot, in 1989. He later earned his Master of Science degree in operations research at George Washington University.
Early in his career, Kirby worked at The Pentagon as a budget analyst for the United States Secretary of Defense for three years. He later worked for Sabre Decision Technologies (SDT), a subsidiary of AMR Corporation within the tourism and transport industries.
Kirby joined America West Airlines in 1995, became president of United Airlines in August 2016, and started his role in 2020 succeeding the CEO Oscar Munoz.
About his love life, he has been married twice and is currently in his second marriage, and has fathered seven kids.
Image Source: Instagram
So, who is Scott Kirby’s wife? Currently, Kirby is married to his second wife Kathleen McCleary since 2013 after the United Airlines CEO parted ways with his first wife, Pam. Kirby and Kathleen reportedly wed at The Paradise Garden at The Arizona Baltimore while their reception took place at The Gold Room. The couple reportedly went to New Zealand for their honeymoon.
The reason behind Kirby’s split with his first wife is not known while the details of his wedding to Kathleen have also been kept away from the public. Not much is also known about Kathleen’s personal life. However, United Airlines often mentions his wife on social media. For example, on Mother’s Day, he wrote;
“I’m so fortunate to be married to Kathleen. She’s an amazing mother who is totally devoted to Sean, James, Logan, and Scarlett. She too spends almost all of her time doing things with and for the kids. There’s no question in any of their minds that Kathleen is always there for them and would do anything for them…though Sean and James are getting to that age where they use that to their advantage.”
Kirby also called Kathleen his best friend, hiking partner, travel buddy, confidant, and advisor in the same post.
“She is truly my partner. When I was young and needed advice or to talk through a difficult issue, I always went to my mom and today, Kathleen is always the first person I talk to whether it’s work or personal issues,” he shared.
Back in April, Kathleen attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner with Kirby. “Kathleen and I had a wonderful time at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner last night. It was our first time attending and it was great to see the @potus in a different setting where he was really funny with great delivery as the warm up act for @roywoodjr who was outstanding,” he wrote at the time. Kathleen also accompanied Kirby when he visited Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr and his wife, Vivian, in July 2022.
Image Source: Instagram
Who are Scott Kirby’s children?
Out of his two marriages, Scott Kirby has fathered seven children; four daughters, and three sons.
He shares three kids (all daughters) namely Britanny, Madison, and Alexandra with his first and now ex-wife, Pam. His kids with Pam are older with some in their teens.
He has four children (three sons and one daughter) with his current partner, Kathleen. Their names are Sean, (9 years old), James (7 years old), Logan (5 years old), and Scarlett, (2 years old).
Scott doesn’t shy from sharing videos of his children and partner on his Instagram page. Below are some moments.
Image Source: Instagram
United Airlines CEO apologizes for flying Private as Airline cancels thousands of flights.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby is apologizing for taking a private jet across the country after nearly 3,000 flights were canceled by the airline in the past week.
On Wednesday, Kirby — who has been CEO of United Airlines since 2020 — flew from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey to Denver, Colorado, in what he has since described as “the wrong decision,” in a statement shared with PEOPLE.
The trip —which was not paid for by United — was confirmed by the airline to CNN. Kirby traveled on the same day that 750 United flights were canceled at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey — the airline’s largest transport hub.
“Taking a private jet was the wrong decision because it was insensitive to our customers who were waiting to get home,” Kirby said in the statement. “I sincerely apologize to our customers and our team members who have been working around-the-clock for several days – often through severe weather – to take care of our customers.”
The statement continued: “Watching our team firsthand with our customers at four different airports and during countless meetings this week, it’s clear to me they represent the best of United, and I regret that I have distracted from their professionalism.”
The CEO then shared his promise “to better demonstrate my respect for the dedication of our team members and the loyalty of our customers” moving forward.
On Saturday, the Associated Press reported that United Airlines had canceled over 3,000 flights in the past week. FlightAware data from Friday showed that on that day alone there had been 1,327 United flights delayed and 259 canceled by the airline.
Kirby described the past week as “the most operationally challenging” of his career and for United Airlines in an open letter published on LinkedIn on Saturday. He said the airline dealt with an “extended limited operating environment”, particularly at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), where he noted the “truly unprecedented severe weather” was focused, leading to cancellations.
“We dealt with severe restrictions on flight operations starting Saturday and lasting through Tuesday,” Kirby wrote. “That means the total number of aircraft that could depart EWR was reduced between 60-75% for an average of 6 to 8 hours each day.”
The CEO shared his concerns that airlines “aren’t designed” to have its largest hub be severely impacted. “My general takeaway is while we work to control the things that are within our control, we also must do an even better job of planning against the things that are outside our control so that we can be in a position to recover more quickly,” Kirby said.
He finished by thanking the United Airlines staff for their professionalism in an “awfully difficult week of unprecedented circumstances.”
Kirby had previously said that the Federal Aviation Administration “failed us” as he blamed the agency for inadequate air traffic control during an interview with CNN on Wednesday. United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg — who oversees the FAA — told CNN in response, “United Airlines has some internal issues they need to work through.
“I want to be very clear, air traffic control issues are not the number one issue causing cancellations and delays. They’re not even the number two issue.”