"Office Hours: Business Edition" Takes Flight with United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby

The award-winning podcast returns for its second season with a wide-ranging conversation about AI, airline safety, leadership and the future of air travel.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- "Office Hours: Business Edition," from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business, has returned with fresh episodes.

The podcast's first season, which surpassed 2.3 million viewers on YouTube and gained recognition from both the Telly Awards and the Webby Awards, established "Office Hours: Business Edition" as a growing platform for revealing conversations with influential business leaders.

The new season opens with United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, who sits down with host Monica Langley for a thorough conversation about the future of air travel, AI, leadership and more.

Kirby calls for an ambitious and competitive approach that extends beyond aerospace technology.

"Our goal started out to be the best airline in the history of aviation," he explains. "I now want us to become one of the best consumer brands around the world."

The talk reflects the approach that has defined "Office Hours" since its launch: giving audiences access to impactful business leaders while exploring the experiences and decisions behind their public success. Langley quizzes Kirby on some of today's hot-button issues, including the rising prevalence of AI.

"What most people use AI for is ridiculous," Kirby states, in one of the interview's key segments.

The conversation between Kirby and Langley also highlights the CEO's philosophy of leadership and resilience, especially his "no excuses" rule.

"Bad stuff is going to happen to you in life, and stuff is going to happen to you that's completely outside of your control, and stuff is going to happen to you that's unfair," says Kirby. "You can either feel sorry for yourself and whine and complain about it, or you can say, 'here's what I'm going to do to move forward.'"

Season two also takes some conversations beyond the traditional C-suite.

"For our new season, the podcast will continue to feature high-profile and consequential guests discussing issues that matter, from current economic topics to personal leadership lessons," Langley notes. "But we'll also be getting out of the boardroom for fun, hands-on segments."

During her time with Kirby, Langley takes the controls of United's flight simulator in the core of its Denver training facility.

"Office Hours: Business Edition" is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Watch the podcast highlight reel now. Previous guests include executives and financial decision-makers, from Jamie Dimon at JPMorganChase to Ford's Jim Farley and Angie Hicks with ANGI.

About "Office Hours: Business Edition"

"Office Hours: Business Edition" brings listeners inside the conversations that usually happen behind closed doors. Hosted by Monica Langley, this leadership podcast creates a space where guests reveal the defining moments, hard-won lessons and personal experiences that shaped their rise to the top. From pivotal career decisions to unexpected setbacks, from breakthrough innovations to moments of doubt, these conversations capture the human side of leadership.

About the Haslam College of Business

The Haslam College of Business, founded in 1914, sets the standard in developing future business leaders whose work positively impacts the world. More than 11,100 undergraduate, graduate and executive education students are taught by 291 faculty with dedicated staff members facilitating their needs. Haslam programs consist of seven departments and nine undergraduate majors. Its eight centers, institutes and forums, as well as its myriad graduate and executive education programs, reach across the for profit, not-for-profit and governmental sectors of business, with a heavy emphasis on practical research. UT was founded in 1794 and was designated as Tennessee's land-grant institution in 1879.

SOURCE University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Haslam College of Business