American Airlines flight attendants call for a new CEO due to ‘hemorrhaging customer trust’
On Thursday, workers protested outside the company’s Fort Worth, Texas, headquarters, demanding a leadership change and a “credible turnaround strategy.”
Unions representing tens of thousands of pilots and flight attendants at American Airlines are openly questioning the competence of the company’s CEO, citing weak performance and poor customer satisfaction.
Employees have been raising concerns for months about the company’s direction, and on Monday, the directors of the union that represents 28,000 flight attendants issued a vote of no confidence in chief executive Robert Isom.
On Thursday, workers protested outside the company’s Fort Worth, Texas, headquarters, demanding a leadership change and a “credible turnaround strategy.”
The brewing employee revolt comes amid a rough start to 2026. American canceled about 10,000 flights during Winter Storm Fern last month. That was the most of any carrier, though that particular problem was largely due to the fact that American hubs in Charlotte, Dallas, and Philadelphia were hit hard by the storm.
American is by far the largest carrier at Philadelphia International Airport — the airline’s gateway to Europe — accounting for about 70% of its nearly 29 million total passengers in 2024. The next biggest carrier, Frontier, transported 3.6 million passengers. American is also one of the 10 biggest employers in the city, according to state data, with some 10,000 employees in the area.
Here’s what to know about the troubles at American.
87% drop in profit
American has been lagging its competitors’ financial performance. Its $111 million in net profit last year marked an 87% decline from the prior year and just a fraction of Delta’s $5 billion, according to CNBC.
Uncertainty over the economy reduced demand for travel, and the government shutdown last fall didn’t help.
“Reclaiming American’s reputation as the world’s premium global airline is our mission, and we are relentless in that pursuit,” the company said in a statement to The Inquirer on Thursday. “The foundation is set, and the plan is in place for us to deliver for our customers, shareholders and each other — and we will do that as one team.”
Low rankings from customers
Critics say the company’s problems run deep.
American ranked near the bottom of every category in the Wall Street Journal’s annual airline rankings published last month, including on-time arrivals, canceled flights, two-hour tarmac delays, and mishandled baggage.
About 73% of American flights arrived on time through the first 11 months of 2025, ranking eighth out of 10 major airlines, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants noted that a May J.D. Power survey ranked American last in overall customer satisfaction among passengers flying first and business class.
Every day, flight attendants see “eroding service standards, chaotic operational meltdowns, and a brand hemorrhaging customer trust have become the norm under Isom’s leadership,” the union’s board of directors said Monday.
Betting on improvement in 2026
Those remarks came days after a union representing 16,000 American Airlines pilots sent a letter to the company’s board saying the airline is on an “underperforming path” and has failed to correct course. The Feb. 6 letter cited “persistent patterns of operational, cultural, and strategic shortcomings.”
Isom, 59, became CEO in 2022 after serving several years in senior positions including president and chief operating officer, a role in which he helped integrate American and US Airways following their 2013 merger.
Isom says American is trying to elevate the customer experience by offering premium seating on long-haul flights, expanding high-speed Wi-Fi, and building out its network of lounges, including a new one opened in Philadelphia last year.
To improve reliability, the company is restructuring its schedule at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, its biggest hub, the Wall Street Journal reported.
“Our strategy to deliver on American’s revenue potential centers on four key areas: delivering a consistent, elevated customer experience; maximizing the power of our network and fleet; building partnerships that deepen loyalty and lifetime value; and continuing to advance our sales, distribution, and revenue management efforts,” Isom said on an earnings call this month.
“While this has been a multiyear effort, 2026 will be the year these efforts start to bear fruit,” he said.