American Airlines flight attendants picket as CEO tries to calm frustrated employees

American Airlines flight attendants’ union held a picket exterior the corporate’s headquarters on Thursday pushing for brand new management on the service, which has lagged rivals Delta Air Traces and United Airlines in profitability and punctuality.

Forward of the picket on Wednesday evening, American CEO Robert Isom sought to calm frustrated employees and listed enhancements the service expects this 12 months, together with a leap in income as nicely as enhancements to schedules and new cabins.

“We glance ahead to working with all of you to make it occur,” Isom stated in a video message filmed on the airline’s Fort Price, Texas headquarters.

The picket got here days after the Affiliation of Skilled Flight Attendants, representing American’s 28,000 cabin crew members, issued a vote of no confidence in Isom, which the union stated was its first such transfer. The chief govt was additionally criticized by the pilots’ union, which sought a gathering with the airline’s board, of which Isom is a member, to talk about the issues. Unions for pilots, flight attendants and mechanics have all lately stated the corporate wants to do higher to enhance reliability and monetary outcomes.

The protest is an uncommon transfer exterior of contract negotiations.

The indicators from the labor teams have elevated strain on Isom, who took the helm almost 4 years in the past, and American’s management crew, which is investing in cabin upgrades, larger airport lounges and different on-board merchandise.

Final month, American forecast stronger income and income for 2026 and stated it expects to report adjusted earnings per share of as a lot as $2.70, up from an adjusted 36 cents final 12 months.

American is in the course of a revamp that it hopes will assist revive income with extra trendy airplane cabins that command larger fares, which is very vital as coach-class fares have dropped. It has additionally constructed larger lounges and added free Wi-Fi for patrons.

For the primary 11 months of the 12 months, American ranked eighth in punctuality with a 73.7% on-time charge, in accordance to the Division of Transportation. It’s now adjusting its schedules, together with at its huge Dallas-Fort Price Worldwide hub the place it’s spreading out flights extra all through the day.

But it surely has a great distance to go. In 2025, American posted web earnings of $111 million in contrast with Delta’s $5 billion and greater than $3.3 billion from United. The decrease income meant a smaller profit-sharing pool for employees, which workers members have complained about.

In a city corridor with employees final month, Isom famous that American’s pilots, flight attendants and different teams have lately sealed new labor contracts which have meant larger wages in contrast with their counterparts at rival United. However he stated he was disenchanted by the profit-sharing.

The flight attendants have additionally stated they have been frustrated with American’s struggles to recuperate from main winter storms, which left some crew members with out a place to sleep.

Picketing crew members on Thursday carried indicators that stated “the whole lot froze, AA melted down,” referring to the disruptions, and “Failed Ops=Failed CEO,” nodding to the service’s operation.

“This airline is headed down a path that places our careers in danger,” the flight attendants’ union stated in a discover in regards to the picket. “Now’s the time for Flight Attendants to stand collectively and present up in protest. American Airlines wants actual accountability, decisive motion, and management that may put this airline again on a aggressive path.”

Isom can be attempting not solely to win help of frontline crews but in addition to rally higher-ups. Final week, at Globe Life Discipline in Arlington, Texas, Isom spoke to about 6,000 managers in regards to the years forward as the airline turns 100.

“We have stuffed a whole Main League Baseball subject with this proud and proficient crew. The perfect within the trade,” he stated, in accordance to a transcript of his remarks, which have been seen by CNBC. “It is incumbent on all of us to construct on our progress … and to be certain that we develop profitability so American is round for the subsequent 100 years.”