Rep. Ritchie Torres Calls Out United CEO for Vowing to Keep Prices High Even as Iran War Fuel Costs Fall

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Friday afternoon, Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15) sent a follow-up letter to United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby after remarks Kirby made on the company’s April 22 earnings call confirmed Rep. Torres’s warnings that United plans to keep a significant portion of price increases even after jet fuel costs normalize.

On the earnings call, Kirby stated that if conditions returned to mid-February levels, United would retain approximately 20% of current price increases, and that this figure could grow toward 80% the longer the conflict persists. United reported $4.3 billion in pre-tax profits in 2025.

In the letter, Rep. Torres renewed his call for United to publicly commit to lowering prices, including baggage fees, in proportion to any decline in jet fuel costs. Torres has sent similar letters to the CEOs of Delta, Southwest, and JetBlue.

The full letter reads:

“I write to follow-up on my April 16, 2026 letter, in which I called on the CEOs of United, Delta, Southwest, and JetBlue to publicly commit to lowering prices for consumers should jet fuel costs decline when the conflict in Iran draws to a close. Your remarks on the April 22 earnings call have only deepened my concerns and revealed a troubling indifference to the financial hardship this conflict has imposed on everyday Americans.

“In response to a question about whether price increases would hold if fuel costs normalize, you stated that if conditions returned to mid-February levels, United would retain approximately 20% of current price increases, and that the longer the conflict persists, the more United intends to keep. You added that this figure could move toward 80% over time. In other words, United is openly planning to pocket a significant share of any fuel savings rather than pass them on to passengers.

“This confirms precisely what I warned about in my April 16 letter, in that the airline executives view pricing as a one-way street. Prices rise when fuel costs increase, but do not fall commensurately when fuel costs decline. Your own words make clear this is your strategy for maximizing corporate profit. United reported $4.3 billion in pre-tax profits in 2025. You raised baggage fees in response to rising fuel costs driven by President Trump’s war in Iran. Now, on a public earnings call, you have acknowledged a deliberate plan to hold onto those gains even if the underlying justification disappears. Everyday Americans, many of whom are already being priced out of air travel, deserve better than this level of corporate greed.

“I renew my call on United to publicly commit to lowering prices, including baggage fees, in proportion to any decline in jet fuel costs. Anything less is an admission that United views this conflict not as a hardship to manage, but as an opportunity to profit at the expense of America’s working families. I look forward to your response by May 15, 2026.”

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