A couple of years ago, I published a post about the airline CEOs that I respect the most, based on a question from a reader. In this post, I’d like to take an updated look at this topic, as quite a bit has changed since then, including some of my top picks. I’ll share my favorites, and then I’d love to hear what OMAAT readers think.
In this post:
The airline CEOs I have the most respect for
Let me start by stating that I’m compiling a list of the major airline (or airline group) CEOs that I have the most respect for. I’m not suggesting they’re the “best” airline CEOs (since that’s hard to quantify), and I’m also not suggesting that my favorites should be the same as your favorites.
Before I share my picks, let me mention several things upfront:
- As an avgeek, I have a lot of respect for people who have dedicated their entire careers to aviation, because to me that’s really cool
- I have respect for different airline CEOs for different reasons, and I’m sure people will strongly disagree with some of my choices, and that’s fine
- I obviously don’t know everything about every airline, so I’m sure there are lots of great CEOs at smaller airlines that I’m just not that familiar with
- I’m sticking exclusively to current airline and airline group CEOs; there are lots of amazing former CEOs I respect, but I won’t be including them on this list
- I’m most impressed by CEOs who have really shaped the industry and have had a radical impact on their airline (or even country), rather than those who have just done a decent job, but haven’t really rocked the boat
With that out of the way, below are the airline CEOs I most respect, in no particular order…
Tim Clark (Emirates Airline)
Tim Clark is Emirates’ President (not CEO), but for all practical purposes, he runs the airline. Clark is an absolute legend in the airline industry, and has quite literally transformed Dubai and Emirates. He started his career at Gulf Air in 1975, and has now been President of Emirates for two decades.
Emirates is probably the world’s best known airline brand. The airline scaled Airbus A380s in a way no other airline has. And really, Emirates has turned Dubai into what it is today. A lot of the credit for that goes to Clark, because this has all been part of his vision.
I love listening to any interview with Clark, because he’s such a bright guy. He doesn’t just have a good grasp of his own airline, but he has a pulse on the entire industry that not many people have. He’s also remarkably honest in his interviews, and isn’t just pushing the narrative that suits his interests.
One thing I don’t love about Clark is that he’s not necessarily always a product guy. While Emirates’ passenger experience is very good overall, the airline invests selectively, and also has areas where it knows it’s just good enough, and it’s fine with that.
Just look at how long it has taken Emirates to introduce a new business class product, add fast Wi-Fi, etc. For that matter, Emirates’ new 777 first class was introduced in 2017, yet only nine jets have the product so far. The truth is that Clark is a numbers guy and in some ways not a product guy, and I sort of respect that, as much as I wish it were different, as a consumer.
Ben Smith (Air France-KLM)
Ben Smith has been CEO of Air France-KLM since 2018, and prior to that, was President of Air Canada.
I don’t envy the role of being head of one of the “big three” European airline groups. You have huge ultra low cost carrier competition on short haul flights, and competition from Gulf carriers on long haul flights.
Looking at Smith’s counterparts, you have Lufthansa’s Carsten Spohr, who primarily seems skilled at trying to create new low cost carrier concepts to pay staff less, all while seemingly being incapable of launching a new business class product in a reasonable timeline. And then you have IAG, which… I mean… is IAG.
By comparison, I consider Air France-KLM to be very well run. Smith is a bright guy, and does a good job balancing profitability, passenger experience, and keeping employees happy. For example, one of his first orders of business when he started at Air France-KLM was shutting down Joon, Air France’s low cost carrier. Even though it would cost the airline group a bit, he seemingly thought it was worth it for morale and product consistency.
On top of that, we’ve seen Air France and KLM continue to invest in premium products, with new business class products for both Air France and KLM, plus a new first class product for Air France. I think Smith is probably the most well-rounded airline CEO out there in terms of being able to balance various priorities. Since he’s only 54, I suspect Air France-KLM won’t be his last airline. As I’ve written about, I’m rooting for him to fix American, because I know he’s the guy for the job.
Ed Bastian (Delta Air Lines)
Delta is the most profitable airline in the US, and for that matter, the company’s management has been very consistent with its strategy. Ed Bastian has served as CEO of the airline since 2016 (and prior to that he served as President), and has continued the company’s positioning as a premium carrier.
Look, to be honest, I don’t think Bastian is the most transformative CEO ever, in the sense that I think he mostly continued the legacy of his predecessor. I also don’t fully buy into the hype of Delta being much more premium than other US airlines.
However, Bastian deserves a lot of credit for his consistent messaging to shareholders, customers, and employees, the company’s great labor relations (especially compared to other US carriers), and Delta actually investing in its product. Running a US airline profitably is no easy task, and that’s especially true when you try to make service a priority. But it’s something that Bastian does a great job with.
The pandemic also fundamentally transformed the industry, so to me it’s noteworthy how Delta entered the pandemic as the most profitable US airline, and continued that legacy after the pandemic. Clearly Delta is doing some things right.
So while I give predecessor Richard Anderson credit for Delta’s focus on people and reliability, and while I give Delta’s outgoing President Glen Hauenstein credit for Delta’s overall strategy, Bastian still deserves credit. With Bastian now being 68 and Hauenstein leaving the airline, I can’t help but wonder who the next generation of leaders at the airline will be.
Scott Kirby (United Airlines)
While Ed Bastian of course has the longest history of being a successful US airline CEO, he hasn’t really done much to rock the boat, but rather has just kept the company on the same course.
With that in mind, United CEO Scott Kirby has really impressed me since moving from American to United. At American (and US Airways and America West prior to that), he was known for being a bean counter. Meanwhile at United he has taken a much different approach, and is trying to make the airline more premium. I’m happy to see that, along with the general way he communicates about his vision for the airline.
It’s great to see United becoming such a global airline with an amazing route network, and also to see United investing in the interiors of its narrow body jets.
I do wish Kirby would focus a bit more on making MileagePlus a priority in terms of value for members, while the program now instead heads in the opposite direction. Furthermore, as much as Kirby talks about making United more premium, catering still remains an area that could use some help.
I also think Kirby probably has the most ego of anyone on this list, and maybe isn’t that great of a people person. But still, you can’t deny the transformation he has spearheaded at United.
Goh Choon Phong (Singapore Airlines)
Singapore Airlines is regarded as one of the best airlines in the world, and Goh Choon Phong has been CEO at the company for a staggering 15 years, since 2011. A ton has happened during his tenure at Singapore Airlines, but despite that, the carrier has achieved impressive financial results, all while continuing to offer a world class passenger experience.
For example, the airline has increasingly faced competition from low cost carriers within Asia, and competition from Gulf carriers on long haul westbound routes. For that matter, look at how challenging the coronavirus pandemic was for Singapore Airlines, and how the airline emerged stronger than ever. Under Goh, Singapore Airlines Group has also gone from four airlines to two, with the elimination of SilkAir and Tigerair.
Mesfin Tasew (Ethiopian Ailrines)
Africa is without a doubt the most challenging continent in the world for aviation, and very few airlines are actually profitable. Ethiopian Airlines is in a league of its own on the continent in terms of the way that it’s able to operate globally, reliably, and sustainably.
Tasew has done a phenomenal job managing the company during a time that has been challenging for the country, and that says nothing of the political challenges he has faced. Sure, Ethiopian Airlines may have about 37 different kinds of business class seats, but you’ve gotta respect the vital role this airline plays for African aviation.
For that matter, Tasew’s predecessor, Tewolde Gebremariam, also deserves a lot of credit. However, as I said, I’m just focusing on current CEOs with this post.
Michael O’Leary (Ryanair)
My goal with this list is to make it a bit diverse, and recognize the different kinds of successful airline CEOs out there. So let me start by saying that this person runs an airline I don’t really want to fly, and I also take issue with some tactics he uses. However, one can’t deny the impact this airline has had on aviation, and how incredibly successful it has been. With that disclaimer out of the way…
Ryanair Group CEO Michael O’Leary has probably had the single biggest impact on aviation in Europe over the past several decades. Richard Branson once famously said “if you want to be a millionaire, start with a billion dollars and launch a new airline.” Well, O’Leary is actually a billionaire, and he made his fortune from airlines. Not many people can say that!
O’Leary has been CEO of Ryanair since 1994 (yes, for over three decades), and has transformed the airline into the largest in Europe. While ultra low cost carriers are now common around the globe, Ryanair was the first large, successful ultra low cost carrier. The impact of ultra low cost carriers on European aviation has been huge, and O’Leary is largely to credit for that.
As you’d expect, O’Leary also isn’t without controversy. In addition to having a raunchy sense of humor, Ryanair has used some questionable employment tactics over the years, as most employees are hired through third parties, limiting the ability of staff to collectively bargain, or get competitive wages. I’m not a fan of that, and I’m not here to defend that.
However, there’s no denying that O’Leary is one of the main people to credit for airfare being relatively affordable in Europe. Even if you never fly with the airline, you’ve benefited from the innovation it has brought to the industry.
Bottom line
The airline industry is one of great passion, and that’s reflected in the people who run many of the biggest airlines.
I have a lot of respect for CEOs who built something amazing or took a different direction than the previous CEOs of the airlines, which is how I picked several of these people. Let me emphasize that just because someone isn’t on the list doesn’t mean I don’t respect them — I’m sure I missed some great ones, and for that matter, I’m just not familiar in great detail with every airline CEO.
Perhaps an even more interesting list would be the airline CEOs I respect the least, but I think I’ll avoid that for now (though I’m sure OMAAT readers can guess most of them). 😉
Which airline CEOs do you most respect?
Michael O’Leary and Ryanair have absolutely no respect for passengers nor employees
you're scraping the bottom of the barrel with this topic
No he's not. Because if he were at the bottom of the barrel he'd find you!
What about the CEO of Starlux Airlines who is probably one of the few airline CEOs (in history) to pilot planes while serving as CEO. He also built Starlux from the ground up after being fired by EVA Air (and his siblings).
I had the extreme displeasure of sitting next to Ed Bastian on a recent flight from PBI to LGA. He's definitely not my kind of person, but the crew and many of the passengers were falling all over him. I had no idea who he was, but I figured he had to be a bigwig at the airline because of all the attention he was getting, I told him after take-off that I didn't know...
I had the extreme displeasure of sitting next to Ed Bastian on a recent flight from PBI to LGA. He's definitely not my kind of person, but the crew and many of the passengers were falling all over him. I had no idea who he was, but I figured he had to be a bigwig at the airline because of all the attention he was getting, I told him after take-off that I didn't know who he was, but he must be a big deal at Delta. I also told him I wan't going to berate him during the flight, but I had a few suggestions, most of which involved the cleanliness (or lack thereof) of the Delta planes. His answer to every point I made was "We know about it," or "We're on top of it." For those of you who are not aware of this, Delta is the only airline with what is now called "Domestic First Class" between these two cities, so I have o choice.
What do you mean that you have "o" choice? You must fly in something called "Domestic First Class" to feel good about yourself?
If the product is such a travesty, perhaps don't fly it...
I dontcsee Vanessa Hudson from QANTAS on your list and the turnaround she has built. But then I wouldn't expect you to express much positivity about the airline.
It’s telling that QR is no longer on this list, when it was a consistent fixture in past years. After Akbar al-Baker’s heavy fist and laser focus on product quality, followed by only two years of Badr Mohammed al-Meer’s refreshingly different approach, this is the first time that QR is off this list entirely. What does this portend for what has historically been one of the blogosphere’s favourite airlines, and certainly remains so in J...
It’s telling that QR is no longer on this list, when it was a consistent fixture in past years. After Akbar al-Baker’s heavy fist and laser focus on product quality, followed by only two years of Badr Mohammed al-Meer’s refreshingly different approach, this is the first time that QR is off this list entirely. What does this portend for what has historically been one of the blogosphere’s favourite airlines, and certainly remains so in J cabins (plane swaps and human-rights issues be damned)?
Well, Badr has been gone for several months. Hope it means the slip in food, beverages, indifferent service will also be gone soon too...
This is a list of all-men CEOs. While airline management undoubtedly skews male, why leave out some of the excellent women running airlines, like Mitsuko Tottori (JL) or Vanessa Hudson (QF)?
Anne Rigail is the CEO of Air France and Marjan Rintel, KLM. Ben should have referred to both of them alongside Ben Smith. However whilst AF has improved dramatically since they took the helm, KLM has really gone the opposite direction with strikes and frequent meltdowns at Schiphol.
To those wondering why Carsten Spohr is not on the list: He is not an airline CEO but the CEO of Lufthansa Group. Otherwise, Ben would’ve put him on #1.
(CEO of Lufthansa German Airlines is Jens Ritter.)
Disagree, Klaus. Neither Spohr nor Ritter belong on the list - look at what had happened to Lufthansa under their leadership.
While I have no interest in flying Ryanair, I do find O'Leary to be the most "realest" tell it like it is kind of guys. You are getting a 30 Euro flight to Stansted, what are you really expecting. In order to do that profitably and safely, you take what you can get. When concepts like stand up seats comes up, he's like if I can cram in another 30 people, I can lower the...
While I have no interest in flying Ryanair, I do find O'Leary to be the most "realest" tell it like it is kind of guys. You are getting a 30 Euro flight to Stansted, what are you really expecting. In order to do that profitably and safely, you take what you can get. When concepts like stand up seats comes up, he's like if I can cram in another 30 people, I can lower the fare to 25 Euro. Is that a bad thing in the context of allowing for greater mobility around Europe? Not something for me or people on this blog, but for the general take one holiday a year type of crowd, it works.
Article in Forbes about Isom tries to shed a different light: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/the-skies-for-american-airlines-are-clearer-than-you-think/ar-AA1Wsofg?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=ACTS&cvid=69948da1c3d74d63b055a88d33028694&ei=12
While not a current CEO, one of my favourites would be Cathay's Tony Tyler. He ran Cathay really well especially during the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 in his tenure. 2010 was one of the best and most successful years in Cathay's history. From aircraft orders, to new lounges and destinations, down to the first iteration of the Cirrus or reverse herringbone business class product. He eventually became IATA's CEO.
After reading three recent articles you wrote about Isom, I suspected that you'd cover your most respected airline CEOs, which added ETH CEO to the list as someone suggested. However, I hoped that you'd exclude Kirby and O'Leary from the list for many reasons, but my parameter is the opposite. I do not travel domestically but I read enough to form a sound and impartial opinion. Profits is the top priority for all businesses but...
After reading three recent articles you wrote about Isom, I suspected that you'd cover your most respected airline CEOs, which added ETH CEO to the list as someone suggested. However, I hoped that you'd exclude Kirby and O'Leary from the list for many reasons, but my parameter is the opposite. I do not travel domestically but I read enough to form a sound and impartial opinion. Profits is the top priority for all businesses but it does not need to be "winner takes all". Capitalism emphasizes competition and confrontation over cooperation. My stomach turns when I read Kirby goad about the imminent demise of budget airlines, except SW, and the race to the bottom at AA, which passed him for the CEO position. I also do not emphasize the power of persuasion because only vocal scammers and con artists command and excel in such skill. There is no justification for the CEO's obscene compensation and benefits plus paid expenses exceed $20M while the lowest rank and file work two jobs to pay bills. I have no respect for individuals who prey on the working poor and the indefensible, such as consumers and the flying public, to become, maintain, compete for being a wealthier billionaire. Those oligarchs and plutocrats can wield their enormous wealth and influence to uplift the working poor and improve the habitat of wildlife animals and environment. Why do the US and European powers have such antagonistic relations between management and labor unions?
If Alaska can make the transition to long haul flying successfully I think it would be hard to keep Ben Minicucci off this list. Before the 2016 VS acquisition Alaska was just a regional carrier, just a decade later Alaska is now a national carrier and looking to be more.
I have only experienced two AF flights in the past five decades. My first was onboard Concorde and the second, just last month, in a La Premiere cabin. Because of that recent flight, I am minded to place Ben Smith at the very top of my personal list. As for the Irish leprechaun …. it is unmentionable don’t you know Ben!
AF is excellent and has an exceptional product for a Western carrier. Totally agree with your well-put point on the aggressive little Irishman.
"With Bastian now being 68 and Hauenstein leaving the airline, I can’t help but wonder who the next generation of leaders at the airline will be."
You and everyone else. There's a very real talent vacuum at the top.
It's irrelevant. Whoever it is will have sworn his loyalty to the prince of darkness and will continue service to DL's satanic master.
ORD… LOL.
who runs A3, they are a very well run airline ?
Dimitrios Gerogiannis, according to Wiki.
While O'Leary has made Ryanair successful, flying with them is an absolute pain. He has absolutely no regard for customers or employees.
And, contrary to what is said in the post, he is not the first person to have developed ultra low cost flying successfully around the globe. He merely goes after Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest (who is probably rotating at high speed in his grave if/when he sees what his brainchild has...
While O'Leary has made Ryanair successful, flying with them is an absolute pain. He has absolutely no regard for customers or employees.
And, contrary to what is said in the post, he is not the first person to have developed ultra low cost flying successfully around the globe. He merely goes after Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest (who is probably rotating at high speed in his grave if/when he sees what his brainchild has become).
In my modest experience in flying Southwest, they care (or cared?) about customers and employees. O'Leary is only concerned about his own glory and wealth, at whatevrer expense that may be.
As a client, while Ryanair fares may be ultra low, so does my respect stand for that type of management however successful/profitable.
Rotating at high speed in his grave? Can't be rotating nearly as fast as Ryanair's 737s, with a 25-minute turnaround time and boarding complete before the plane lands.
"How dare are you"? You put O'Leary in esteemed company of Ed Bastian?
Yeah, O'Leary is rude and crude in that he doesn't kiss Ortberg's ass the way that Bastian kisses Faury's.
ORD, please do not fall off your bar stool when you read this, I have actually given you a helpful heart darlink. Your assessment of the O’Leary character is spot on old bean …. :-)
This is very timely, I’m landing in Dubai in 15 minutes. :)
How many different handles did you create here just to give yourself 'likes' for dull statements which no one else would think of 'liking'?? I've suspected you for a looong time, but today I know for sure.
A great many. Willy is a crazy, self-serving guy who has "meltdowns" when his posts don't get a "like". So much so he gets some form of derangement and starts making alternate accounts just to give himself a "like"!
This is very timely, I’m landing in Dubai in 15 minutes. :)
I'm a big fan of Mike Russell from Air Canada. Was nice to see him not back down when those attendants went on strike.
When you’re done licking those boots, please, we have many, many more waiting for you…
For all Ben Smith has improved the passenger experience, Air France-KLM's financial performance still hugely lags the other main European airline groups. So in this sense perhaps he would not be the best fit for American. IAG makes over three times as much profit from similar revenue and even Lufthansa somehow manages to make significantly more profit too (though Lufthansa itself makes a loss I think this is compensated by the other airlines in the...
For all Ben Smith has improved the passenger experience, Air France-KLM's financial performance still hugely lags the other main European airline groups. So in this sense perhaps he would not be the best fit for American. IAG makes over three times as much profit from similar revenue and even Lufthansa somehow manages to make significantly more profit too (though Lufthansa itself makes a loss I think this is compensated by the other airlines in the group, especially Swiss). That's not even considering Ryanair which makes twice Air France's profit despite having a third of the revenue.
So while he may be improving things for the passenger this is not translating into financial results.
This is a good point. CEO’s are rewarded on financial performance, not necessarily good customer reviews. On that measure, the US carriers are vastly more profitable on a long term (and even short term basis), while the Europeans are fast less profitable and surprisingly, often value destructive. From what I read and hear, US carriers (I never fly with them) are pretty universally derided by consumers stuck In their oligopoly (mostly hated by their employees,...
This is a good point. CEO’s are rewarded on financial performance, not necessarily good customer reviews. On that measure, the US carriers are vastly more profitable on a long term (and even short term basis), while the Europeans are fast less profitable and surprisingly, often value destructive. From what I read and hear, US carriers (I never fly with them) are pretty universally derided by consumers stuck In their oligopoly (mostly hated by their employees, which no doubt has a trickle down effect on clients)…but the CEO’s are financially far more successful.
In Europe, with the exception of LH which appears to have become the hated child of aviation, consumers appears relatively happy and some of us, very happy with carriers like AF (not KLM), but their financial metrics are not great. Tough to take a ruler to that one.
I flew Ethiopian recently and was very impressed. Even their operations in ADD was flawless. They even have a business class only gate for most flight departures. And for those who sh*t on ADD...have you been to Newark lol.
It is very impressive what Ethiopian has achieved in Africa.