American Airlines has managed to convert an ex-senior executive at Delta Air Lines into its fold, hiring Rhonda Crawford as its new senior vice president of customer experience design. In this role, she will oversee the entire passenger journey, including premium lounges and the entire in-flight experience.
Crawford previously worked for Delta in a variety of senior positions, starting off at the Atlanta-based carrier as its vice president of eCommerce in 2014 and 2015. By the time she left Delta last September, she had become the airline’s senior vice president of Digital.
In fact, much of Crawford’s work experience is in digital communications and strategy, but at American Airlines, she’ll be taking on a role that has a much more direct impact on the passenger experience.
In a LinkedIn post announcing Crawford’s appointment, American Airlines said: “We’re thrilled to announce Rhonda Crawford as our new Senior Vice President of Customer Experience Design. In this role she’ll lead the overall customer journey design – from our lounges and premium guest services to the entire inflight experience.”
Crawford will be working within AA’s newly created Customer Experience organization, which is headed by Heather Garboden.
The CX organization has been charged with making American Airlines a more premium carrier that will be able to better compete against Delta and United Airlines.
Since its inception in February, Garboden and her CX organization have already had some notable successes, including starting work to overhaul the airline’s mobile app, bringing back Business Class perks like pajamas and mattress pads on ultra-long-haul flights, signing a deal with Bollinger Champagne, and reversing pandemic-era inflight cutbacks.
Interestingly, Crawford does not appear to have had a ‘non-compete clause’ built into her contract with Delta… or, she did, and that would explain the exact 12-month gap between leaving Delta and joining American Airlines.
Crawford will no doubt have a wealth of information that could be incredibly beneficial to her new employer, although NDA’s will no doubt limit some of what she is able to bring to her new role.
Maybe she’ll impress upon Sr. Mgt. the folly of not having tv screens on our domestic narrow body fleet.
Seatback screens and mood lighting on every aircraft should be the first thing they do!
It’s impossible without replacing the entire Board of Directors and the entire management team. AA is allergic to spending money. They can’t do it. Until a regime is in place that can truly roll the dice on expenditures, and meaningfully, nothing will change.