United’s New Hub Plan May Spur Lower Airfares

Scott Kirby has a very specific view about how the three U.S. hub-and-spoke airlines work best, having managed two of them. In his current job as president of United Continental Holdings Inc., Kirby’s role is to oversee a major overhaul of how the carrier operates, beginning with a broad restructuring of its three domestic-focused hubs in Chicago, Denver and Houston.

By United’s math, this trio has profit margins that are 10 percent below the inland domestic hubs operated by American Airlines Group Inc. and Delta Air Lines Inc. That gap is one big reason for United’s third-place finish among the three in recent years.