The CEO of United Airlines does not understand how airfares work. That may seem like a strange claim, but the things that he says about fares are just wrong. You might be loathe to question the CEO of an airline over airfares! Especially a CEO that is highly successful . He is largely credited with turning United Airlines around. But he claims – and predictions – frequently turn out to be wrong. Scott Kirby keeps insisting airfares should rise, and that airlines are too timid to charge what passengers will pay. But after years of predictions that have not panned out, the flaw in his theory is simple: airlines hate empty seats, and supply and demand still set fares no matter how badly CEOs want prices higher. Probably because everyone just assumes he knows what he’s talking about, and has short memories, they rarely question Scott Kirby’s pronouncements. What’s great about listening to him is that he does not shy away from bold claims about the world. But those claims do not always stand up to scrutiny.…