ISTAT Jetrader - Autumn 2022 - 11

amazing potential who otherwise would've never had a shot at a dream career. To
aid recruitment, the school also partners with nonprofits and organizations that
help build interest in pilot careers among underrepresented communities and help
identify top talent to award scholarships
It's estimated that, by 2025, there will be 34,000 fewer pilots than airlines
need worldwide. Our goal is to train about 5,000 new pilots at the Aviate Academy
by 2030. Of those 5,000, we have committed that at least 50% will be women
or people color. I'm proud that our first class reflects this goal, with 80% of the
accepted students being women or people of color.
Jetrader: As COVID-19 recedes, leisure travel has come back very strongly, but
the recovery in business travel has lagged. What is your outlook for business
travel for the remainder of 2022, and when do you expect we will get back to
2019 levels? What changes in operations, such as in routes or capacity, has
United undertaken to offset the loss of business travel?
SK: It's recovering rapidly, and revenue, though not the number of passengers, is
back to 2019 levels. Even back in March/April of 2020, I always believed business
travel would come back (though, at the time, that wasn't just a minority opinion;
it was a minority of one). The reason is human nature. Business travel isn't about
transactional work; it's about connecting with people, getting to know your partners
and customers. Almost everything in life, including business, is a team sport, and
teams have to be connected personally as well as professionally if they expect to win.
We expect United will benefit more than any other airline as that recovery
continues, and international, especially Asia, is far from fully recovered.
United anticipated many of these challenges and made a conscious decision to
prioritize our operational reliability by limiting the size of our schedule. That decision
may have cost us some profits in the near term, but it's the right long-term decision
for our customers, our company and the bottom line.
The pandemic delayed many of our commercial initiatives, including the full
rollout of Premium Plus and Polaris cabins on the long-haul fleet. Our investments in
planes, clubs and gates will be transformational.
Jetrader: Can you discuss United's
corporate venture fund, United
Airlines Ventures, and give some
examples of partner companies and
the rationale for them?
SK: We recognize our contribution
to climate change and recognize our
responsibility to solve it. United's
purpose is " Connecting People. Uniting
the World, " but that's no longer enough;
we must ensure it has a future as well.
That's why we've committed to achieve
net-zero emissions by 2050, without
relying on traditional carbon offsets.
United Airlines Ventures helps support our net-zero commitment by identifying
companies creating products that will accelerate innovative new aircraft,
improve the customer experience, and, critically, reduce and eventually eliminate
carbon emissions.
Our investments include companies developing electric aircraft, hydrogen-fuel
cell engines and even companies working to create fuel from carbon dioxide pulled
right out of thin air. I am proud to say that United has invested more in sustainable
aviation fuel production than any other
airline in the world.
Jetrader: Can you discuss the
steps United is taking to move
toward a less carbon-reliant future,
particularly your involvement with
Archer Daniels Midland? To what
extent will aviation technology
advancement lead to carbon
improvements versus the use SAF?
When do you envision United using a
significant amount of SAF, and how
will it be sourced?
SK: United is the only airline that has
committed to become 100% green
by 2050 without relying on traditional
carbon offsets. Our intention to meet
our 2050 goal is supported by a midterm
goal of reducing, compared to
2019, of 50% by 2035.
We are committed to investing
in innovative technologies that will
measurably reduce the speed of climate
change, which is why United has
invested more in sustainable aviation
fuel production than any other airline in
the world.
Archer is one of several companies
United has invested in through United
Airlines Ventures. While SAF is the
We recognize our contribution to climate change
and recognize our responsibility to solve it. United's
purpose is " Connecting People. Uniting the World, " but
that's no longer enough; we must ensure it has a future
as well.
most immediate available tool to
lower emissions, our investments
in companies creating technologies
electric aircraft and carbon utilization
reflect our belief that we can create an
ecosystem of companies all working
towards a future of net-zero emissions.
Jetrader * AUTUMN 2022 * 11

ISTAT Jetrader - Autumn 2022

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