It sound like United's trying to adopt the Southwest approach to doing business with public officials.

Which one is the leak? (from the article):
At the Novita dinner described by people involved in the investigation, Samson was joined by Bill Baroni, the Port Authority deputy director. Smisek was accompanied by Nene Foxhall, United’s executive vice president of communications and government affairs, and Mark Anderson, the airline’s senior vice president of corporate and government affairs.

Smisek also brought along a key ally: Fox, a former Port Authority executive who was then working as a paid lobbyist for United.