The crisis with the CEO of American Airlines grows as the flight attendant union calls for his resignation

Good morning. After a terrible year which 2025 for American AirlinesCEO Robert Isom is now facing a unanimous vote of no confidence from the board of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA). As they wrote: “Our airline is falling dangerously behind its competitors, and the current leadership has failed to change course.” Meanwhile, Isom also faced complaints about his leadership and the company’s performance from another union, the Allied Pilots Association.

Their issue? American Airlines only does $111 million profit last year at $54.6 billion. Alaska Air earned roughly $14.2 billion in sales, meanwhile Delta Air Lines and United Airlines generated revenues of about $5 billion and $3.4 billion respectively. As an “Executive Platinum” AA member who has been bounced by various snafus in the past year and can’t seem to cash in on a “systemwide upgrade” to save his life (you find an eligible flight to Japan!), I got it. But how much of AA’s woes are really Isom’s fault? Let’s check:

Crisis Management – It doesn’t look good when flight problems dominate the headlines, but since he can’t control the weather, experts say Isom’s record here isn’t bad. AA has been active amid recent winter storms especially disruptive to its hubs in Dallas and Charlotte and hurricanes that damaged it as the dominant carrier serving Miami. Add last year collision in mid-air with Flight 5342 in Washington, a tragedy caused by a wayward military helicopter and mercifully handled by Isom. The relative lack of widebody aircraft and vulnerability to pilot retirement is a problem that is on Isom’s mind, and he is taking steps to address it.

Employee Relations – We will break AA’s unions from the workers they represent. While there are no current negotiations with management, the unions have some fights among members and face competition from rival groups. While it was clear that Isom needed to address their concerns, he responded to the criticism. In addition, AA flight attendants and pilots at the moment lead the industry when it comes to paying, which is usually a third more than rivals. That said, stressful times can increase burnout and no one likes to see their company (or their stock) lose ground to rivals.

Leadership – In the end, Isom will be judged by his results. He paid off the loan ahead of schedule, got an exclusive Citi credit card deal and finally launched free WiFi and lounges that felt like it might be worth paying for. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, the Lester Crown Professor of Leadership Practice at the Yale School of Management, describes Isom as “an extraordinary model of resilience in all dimensions.”

As such, Isom’s leadership is now being tested. It would help if he made himself available for interviews from time to time, like Delta’s Ed Bastian. He doesn’t have to be a celebrity like former AA CEO Bob Crandalla legend who earned both honors and the title “Darth Vader” while he was at the helm from 1985 to 1998. But the latest attacks on Isom’s leadership show that AA’s current CEO needs to do a better job of telling his company’s story. I love to hear it.

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Contact CEO Daily by Diane Brady at [email protected]

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