American Airlines generated $54.6 billion in revenue but just $111 million in profit last year — while its top officers and board received about $50 million in compensation. CEO Robert Isom gave up his bonus, but profit collapsed 87% while his total pay fell just 11%, and the proxy shows management remained largely insulated from the company’s financial failure.
American Airlines says its rebuilt Dallas hub schedule is already paying off: missed connections are down 50%, customer scores are up 22%, and bags are hitting record performance. The bigger story is why it took so long — American is finally spending money to make the operation work better, instead of just squeezing costs.
The best-ever 200,000-point offer on the IHG One Rewards Premier Business card is being pulled. It’s one of the richest hotel bonuses currently on the market. The card’s $99 annual fee is easy to justify if you value the annual free night and fourth-night-free perk, making this a rare hotel card offer that is strong both for the signup bonus and for keeping long term.
The State Department is preparing a limited-run U.S. passport variant with Donald Trump’s portrait and gold signature inside, tied to America’s 250th birthday. It appears to be available through the Washington Passport Agency around July 4.
A woman at the Atlanta airport Avis Car Rental melts down when she rented car seats as an add-on for her “babies” but the car seats “do not function” and she’s trying to get help but the employee “reek[s] of marijuana.” She says to call her “Karen” but don’t tell her to calm down because she’s relying on Avis for her children’s “well being” and they “failed.”
A bride gets kicked out of Four Seasons Miami while trying to tour it as a wedding venue, plus Ikea’s hotel, an Ohio hotel robber who politely thanked the clerk, Southwest charging for window seats but they don’t have windows, and more.
A Delta passenger on a Miami–Atlanta flight reportedly refused to end a phone call or put their phone in airplane mode. The standoff ended with everyone being ordered off the aircraft. The rule may be imperfect and unevenly enforced, but once crew tells you to comply, the alternative is not winning the argument — it is delaying the whole plane.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom used an internal employee meeting to lay out a real shift in priorities. After years of chasing lower costs and more seats, American is now telling employees the way out is revenue: better customer experience, more premium demand, network growth, and a stronger AAdvantage program.
Robert Isom addressed the airline deal rumors employees were already talking about internally: United, Alaska and Spirit. United is a hard no, Alaska is the partnership American wants to expand, and Spirit is not a fit — though American would consider assets and stranded passengers.
Southwest Airlines came to Washington to unveil a patriotic “America 250” jet with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. But behind the celebration was the administration’s more urgent airline problem: Spirit needs a rescuer, and Southwest was apparently asked whether it would be the buyer.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
