United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby commemorated the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks with a video message to employees, honoring the 18 United staff members killed in the tragedy. The brief internal communication, shared across the carrier's workforce, balanced remembrance with gratitude toward the veterans employed by the airline.
The timing marks a significant moment for United Airlines specifically. Two of the four hijacked planes on September 11 were United aircraft. United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center after being flown into the building by terrorists. United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, also carried United crew members. These events resulted in substantial loss of life across both flights and within United's employee base.
Kirby's approach to marking the anniversary reflects a growing corporate practice of honoring 9/11 remembrance with authenticity and specificity rather than generic sentiments. The CEO chose to name the precise number of United employees lost, bringing individual recognition to the tragedy rather than treating it as a single event. This level of detail matters for organizations directly affected by September 11.
The inclusion of gratitude toward United's veteran employees adds another dimension to the message. Airlines have historically employed military veterans at all levels, from pilots and flight attendants to ground crew and maintenance workers. United employs thousands of veterans across its operations. Connecting 9/11 remembrance to the service members currently working for the airline creates a through-line between tragedy and the ongoing commitment to national service represented by its workforce.
For travelers, this internal communication reflects broader industry attitudes toward September 11 remembrance. Major carriers including American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Delta Air Lines also lost employees in the attacks. Each airline typically holds moments of silence and special events during anniversary periods. These public commemorations have become standard practice across the aviation industry, acknowledging the sector's direct connection to the tragedy.
The 25th anniversary carries particular weight. Quarter-century milestones prompt organizations to reassess how they honor losses and maintain institutional memory. For United Airlines, where the tragedy directly shaped company history, such remembrance serves both emotional and organizational functions. Employees who were present on September 11, 2001, now work alongside colleagues hired decades after the attacks. Internal communications help bridge generational gaps within the workforce.
Kirby's tenure as United CEO, which began in 2015, has emphasized transparency and direct communication with employees. His choice to address 9/11 remembrance personally through video rather than delegating the message signals organizational priority. United has worked to rebuild its reputation following years of operational challenges and public relations difficulties. Authentic remembrance of company history, including its darkest chapters, forms part of that broader effort to reconnect with stakeholders.
The airline industry continues to grapple with the legacy of September 11. Security protocols established in the aftermath remain standard at every airport globally. The attacks accelerated industry consolidation, with multiple carriers either folding or merging in the subsequent two decades. United Airlines emerged from those years as a major carrier, and institutional memory of 9/11 shapes how the airline approaches both security and employee relations.