Dive Brief:
- Linda Jojo, chief customer officer and EVP of United Airlines Holdings, last week announced her intention to retire on Jan. 2, 2025, according to a securities filing. As CCO, Jojo oversees the company’s contact centers, customer solutions and digital technology.
- In an email to employees last week, part of which United shared with CX Dive, the airline credited Jojo for customer experience innovations at the airline. “Since joining United 10 years ago, Linda and her team revolutionized air travel, enabling so many of our industry-leading customer innovations that set us apart from the pack and continue to win awards today,” United said.
- David Kinzelman, SVP of global airport operations, will assume the role of CCO, effective Oct. 1, according to a spokesperson. Kinzelman will continue reporting to Toby Enqvist, EVP and COO.
Dive Insight:
Jojo led United’s recent slate of customer experience initiatives, which include a mobile-first strategy, making it easier for families to sit together and expanding overhead bins so more customers can keep their carry-on bags with them.
United CEO Scott Kirby thanked Jojo for her contributions and counsel in an email to employees last week.
“She has driven a culture of innovation at our airline — from a technology and customer service perspective — and has helped build systems, tools and features that will benefit our airline for years to come,” Kirby said. “Linda pushed her team to get out of the office and into the airports to work alongside our frontline teams. And her mobile-first strategy revolutionized the way we all travel today.”
Under Jojo’s tenure, the airline’s app has become the most downloaded airline app, with nearly 9 in 10 customers engaging with it on the day of their travel, according to a second quarter earnings release in July.
United also hit record customer satisfaction scores. In January, the airline reported its best ever fourth quarter CSAT score and highest fourth quarter NPS score in post-pandemic history.
Jojo, who has been with the company since 2014, became CCO in summer 2022. Prior to that, she served as United’s EVP of technology and chief digital officer.
“Under that role, she and her team pushed forward initiatives like becoming one of the most traveler-centric airline apps out there,” Katy Nastro, a travel expert at Going, told CX Dive in an email.
“Her promotion to Chief Customer Officer with a background in the tech space also led her to push for innovative ideas like, for example, 2023's accessibility initiative to assist better passengers who need to understand plane dimensions before booking,” Nastro said. “With that said, United is likely going to miss her technology-forward approach.”
