An American Airlines’ Embraer E175LR (front), an American Airlines’ Boeing 737 (C) and an American Airlines’ Boeing 737 are seen parked at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York on May 24, 2024.
American Airlines will slash its capacity growth in the second half of the year and consider a host of other changes to a sales strategy that backfired, CEO Robert Isom said Wednesday. The comments come a day after the carrier cut its revenue and profit forecast and said it is parting ways with its chief commercial officer, Vasu Raja.
American will grow capacity about 3.5% in the second half of the year compared with the year earlier, down from roughly 8% year-over-year growth in the first six months of 2024.
The company’s shares tumbled more than 13% on Wednesday as investors weighed the airline’s missteps as the peak travel season gets underway, with some analysts questioning how American can capitalize on what rivals expect to be a record summer. It was the stock’s biggest percentage drop in nearly four years, during the travel plunge early in the Covid-19 pandemic.
United Airlines shares rose more than 2% and Delta’s fell less than 1%.
Isom said American is weighing changes to a plan Raja led to drive direct bookings at the airline in lieu of third-party sites and travel agencies, a strategy that included gutting the airline’s sales department.
The changes angered travel agencies who weren’t able to access some of the carrier’s fares as before, making it harder for them to sell tickets on American flights.
The chief commercial officer will leave the company next month.
American Airlines cuts growth after sales strategy backfires
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