Weird story.

http://money.cnn.com/2015/09/08/news...ceo/index.html

United CEO Jeff Smisek has stepped down, along with two other executives.

Their crime?

They added a direct flight from Newark, NJ to Columbia, SC to gain favor with then Port Authority chairman David Samson.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/fede...65692?page=all

Samson had a second home in South Carolina, near Columbia. He referred to the flight as "The Chairman's Flight", and in fact the plane was less than half full most of the time -- something highly unusual in today's US air travel environment. Samson, in turn, was said to have acted favorably toward United Airlines in the NYC/Newark areas.

Samson was also thought to have had a role in the lane closure scandal ordered by Chris Christie to punish a mayor he didn't like.