Publicizing a goal they want to be more diverse and inclusive?

If UA can't hit the goal anyway, what's the point? It's just pandering and a bunch of corporate speak. The company I work for is woman owned, and has a vastly diverse workforce - we just hire the best candidate without any regard to their identity.

Diversity and inclusion programs aren't designed to hinder the best candidate. Nobody at United is going to say - well, Bob here - white male - is the most qualified but we are going to hire Linda - Japanese female - who isn't as qualified but she's female and Asian. All the program does it make it known in its own workforce and to the public that they have a goal to have a more diverse and inclusive workforce. It should get the attention of minorities and women and I'd expect UA and other airlines to be better at funding programs to encourage a more diverse and inclusive workforce. White males do not have to have the monopoly on flying simply because they are white males and I've seen no evidence presented that white males are the most qualified.

What specifically about the approach do you take objection to? As far as I can tell, they haven't detailed really anything about how they intend to approach it except to say that lowering the financial barriers to flying careers will create a more diverse group of applicants, which is absolutely true. Most diversity programs focus on outreach to increase the breadth of the pool of applicants so that when you later select the most qualified applicants there is a lot more diversity within that group.
Precisely this ^^^

The pandering. I am all for outreach programs, and making it easy for qualified candidates to apply, etc, but having goals (attainable or otherwise) with cutoff for specific groups - 50% inclusion for group A, and 50% inclusion for group B? That doesn't sit well with me. As someone who has experienced discrimination due to my skin color, I want EVERYONE to be afforded with the same opportunity (within qualification requirements).

Where have they said there’s a cutoff? As far as I know they aren’t turning away any qualified candidates based on race.

Except it doesn't say 50% of Group A and 50% of Group. It says the plan is at least half being women or people of color.

Besides, you can't state a goal without a target - otherwise you can't measure it.

That's the problem. Let's say at 2,499's hire of non-women/non-POC, then what? Sorry. we are no longer taking your applications because of your race and gender.

My message is simple, always be the better version of yesterday yourself, whether for an individual or a company. Companies should hire the best people around, companies should treat everyone the same without regard of their identity; throwing a bunch of pandering goals (realistic or otherwise) not only increase pressure to hire certain groups, and possibly missing out some great talent. Afford everyone the same opportunity; 5,000 open spots for every qualified applicant is better than a sub-set for specific groups.

It is illegal to make hiring decisions based on race or gender

You seem to believe that UA has committed to hiring 50% of their pilots to Women and People of Color. Here's the headline:

United Sets New Diversity Goal: 50% of Students at New Pilot Training Academy To Be Women and People of Color

All they are doing is opening doors to a training path for people who might be hesitant in an aviation career maybe because of the stereotype of "who" a pilot is.

Straight from Kirby's mouth:

Opening a door to an opportunity. Everybody should take a look at their own situation and see if they've benefited from a similar concept in history.

This is basically just getting ahead of the curve to deflect any criticism. Wait until they start realizing the pilot seniority list is all white male dominated, I suspect there will be attempts to transform that at some point.

I bet there won't be.

It's a different political climate for sure, but it's not out of this world that the spotlight gets put on the seniority list. Part of the reason why it's so white male dominated is that it's so white male dominated... https://businesstech.co.za/news/gove...ilots-gordhan/