United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby warned on October 17, 2025, that a prolonged U.S. government shutdown poses a significant risk to consumer confidence and future travel bookings. While the airline projected stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter profits, Kirby expressed concern that as the shutdown continues, public trust in the government's ability to resolve the situation erodes, which could negatively impact ticket sales. This news comes after the company's third-quarter earnings call, where CFO Mike Leskinen also announced a strategic shift towards leveraging artificial intelligence to streamline management operations, which has already resulted in a 4% reduction in management headcount with an additional 4% cut planned for 2026. Despite a recent stock dip following the earnings report, United provided optimistic guidance for the fourth quarter of 2025, anticipating its highest-ever quarterly revenue. The company also updated its full-year 2025 earnings per share guidance to between $10.00 and $11.00.