United Airline’s board member Oscar Munoz is the new head of the troubled carrier following the ousting of Jeff Smisek and two other executives.
Smisek’s stepped down abruptly Tuesday amid the ongoing probe into the so-called ‘chairman’s flight’ controversy.
Federal investigators are probing the relationship between airline officials and former chairman of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey David Samson.
The months-long investigation is examining whether Samson persuaded the carrier to restart a loss-making route to his weekend home in Columbia, South Carolina in exchange for political favors.
Irene Foxhall, United’s executive vice president of communications and government affairs, and Mark R. Anderson, senior vice president of communications and government affairs also stepped down.
All three United executives were present at a dinner with Samson when the flight request was allegedly made, according to a Bloomberg news report.
United scrapped the flight just days after Samsom left the Port Authority in 2014.
"The departures announced are in connection with the company’s previously disclosed internal investigation related to the federal investigation associated with the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey," United said.
"The investigations are ongoing and the company continues to cooperate with the government."
Munoz is a long serving board member at United Continental and became COO and president of railroad company CSX Corp earlier this year.
"I think the team has been doing a great job recently and the momentum is building. It is certainly a new chapter for United, I’m ready to get to work," Munoz said.
