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Allied Pilots Association: “Unfinished Business,” “High Expectations” For New American Airlines CEO
FORT WORTH, Texas (Dec. 7, 2021) – The Allied Pilots Association (APA), representing the 14,000 pilots of American Airlines, acknowledged retiring Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker’s contributions to industry consolidation and cited “unfinished business” and “high expectations” for incoming CEO Robert Isom.
The airline announced today that Mr. Parker will retire as CEO on March 31, 2022, and that Mr. Isom, currently the airline’s president, will succeed him in that role. Mr. Parker will remain as chairman of the board.
“Mr. Parker has been a longtime advocate of industry consolidation, and history has proven him correct,” said APA President Capt. Eric Ferguson. “Mr. Parker must be recognized for his role in creating a more resilient U.S. airline industry.
“Looking to the future, there is clearly a significant amount of unfinished business at American Airlines, and the job will soon become Mr. Isom’s responsibility,” he said. “Our expectations are high. American Airlines has consistently lagged the industry operationally and financially, and that underperformance must be corrected.
“From staffing challenges to scheduling inefficiencies, Mr. Isom’s ‘to-do’ list is lengthy as he prepares for his new role. Fortunately, APA has developed workable solutions to many of the challenges facing the airline,” Capt. Ferguson said. “Our goal is to restore American Airlines to a position of industry leadership for the benefit of all concerned, and I am confident that, together, we can achieve it.”
Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association — the largest independent pilots union in the United States — is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the 14,000 pilots of American Airlines, including several hundred pilots on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union’s website is AlliedPilots.org.