If you’re really gonna put a negative spin on this, I think the more appropriate avenue would be to call this a bluff. This is part of the narrative that our leadership team is putting together to convey that United is doing great and we are not only the airline to be working for, but the one to invest in (both in the market and with your business travel) as well. I think most savvy/financially conservative individuals will probably recognize this as such, but for the average corporate travel department, and or Frequent Flyer, this stuff probably moves the needle.

So I’d say this is more about the public narrative about United than Scott’s ego, per se. If everything he does that benefits the airline is tied back to his ego… then that’s kind of a lazy argument.