United Airlines CEO Ensures New Pilots Pass the “Hang-Out” Test with Popular Pilots
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has added a new step to hiring to judge cultural fit. He explained the idea in an interview with McKinsey chief Bob Sternfels published in early April.
Kirby asked the head of flight operations to nominate about a dozen pilots. Those pilots are popular among colleagues and act as on-site evaluators.
The initiative is designed to help new pilots pass cultural screens by social review from popular pilots. It focuses on behavior that matters on long trips.
How the hang-out test works
Selected pilots escort candidates during visits. They walk them around the building, join for lunch, and accompany them to interviews.
The pilots judge whether they would want to fly with the person on a multi-day trip. They have a veto that can remove candidates from consideration.
Why the airline emphasizes cultural fit
Culture screening is common across industries. It matters more for crews who spend consecutive days together.
Kirby said technical skills can be taught, while mentality and customer-service attitude are harder to change. The process aims to surface those softer traits early.
Hiring volume and standards
Jobs at United can attract huge interest. When the airline posts 2,000 to 3,000 flight-attendant openings, it can get 75,000 applications in hours.
A United spokesperson told Filmogaz.com that the hang-out step complements the rigorous standards set by United and the FAA. The measure is one part of a broader hiring framework.
Company size
As of December 2025, United had roughly 113,200 employees. That followed several years of head-count growth.
