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Skift Take
American Airlines CEO Doug Parker is out come March. While not everyone agreed with his decisions, credit where credit’s due: He built and led the world’s largest airline, changing the industry in the process.
American Airlines on Tuesday made it official. CEO Doug Parker will retire from his role on March 31, and be succeeded by his longtime deputy, President Robert Isom.
The move will end Parker’s nearly 20-year run at the helm of a U.S. airline, including America West and US Airways. Parker, along with then-deputy Scott Kirby — now CEO of United Airlines — orchestrated the merger of American and US Airways in 2013 that created what remains the world’s largest airline to this day.
The news comes a little surprise to those in the industry, as the airline has been working on Parker’s succession plan for years.
“While we still have work to do, the recovery from the pandemic is underway and now is the right time to make the transition,” said Parker in a letter to staff on Tuesday. He called being CEO of American the “best job in all of commercial aviation,” and praised Isom’s team building and operational prowess.
Isom takes over an American still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic. The latest challenge, the Omicron variant, has slowed near-term traveler demand though the industry remains bullish on a strong Summer 2022 travel season. On top of that, American has faced challenges with staffing — particularly of pilots — and operational reliability as it has ramped up flights.
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