Criticism of embattled American Airlines chief executive Robert Isom is reaching a fever pitch, with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) blasting the carrier’s management board in a scathing new attack and calling for shareholders to intervene.
The memo, written by the union’s Chicago O’Hare base president, is not short of colorful language, describing just what she thinks of Isom and his failing leadership at American Airlines, where profits plummeted 87% in the last year.
The Memo: “A Dereliction of Duty”
Ever since American Airlines announced its disappointing annual financial results at the exact moment the carrier was experiencing an operational crisis that saw more than 9,000 flights cancelled in just a few days, Isom and his leadership team have come under attack from all sides.
Flight attendants were left stranded in airports with nowhere to sleep, crew members were left on hold for hours upon hours, and the airline couldn’t fix broken schedules fast enough.
One of the most vocal critics of Isom is the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, the official crew union that represents more than 28,000 flight attendants at the Fort Worth-based carrier.
But the latest memo from the Chicago O’Hare APFA base president is no-holds-barred, and makes a direct appeal to the airline’s shareholders to intervene.
“This company failed more than just the Flight Attendants last week; they failed everyone who works here. American Airlines failed our shareholders. They were derelict in their duties to our shareholders,” the memo slammed.
And in response to Isom first describing reports of flight attendants sleeping on airport floors during the meltdown as “unacceptable”, but then seemingly explaining it away as just something that happens during IRROPS (irregular operations), the memo continued:
“To Robert Isom, I would like to say, sleeping on floors is NOT normal. Shame on you for trying to normalize this inhumane treatment. Doing the same thing on repeat and expecting different results in the definition of insanity. Do you intend on running this airline with piss poor planning and posting miniscule profits again in 2026?”
“What happened last week wasn’t just weather; it was an operational failure by American Airlines,” the memo stated in an appeal to shareholders. “Every shareholder should know, the number of cancellations, and the consequences of these failures was not necessary.”
“American Airlines failed our shareholders. They were derelict in their duties to our shareholders.”
No Confidence: APFA calls for Isom to step down
The latest memo from APFA’s Chicago O’Hare base is perhaps one of th strongest worded and most blistering of attacks on Isom and his leadership of American Airlines, but it is not a one-off.
Similar memos have been circulated by APFA from across the United States, and they all have a similar theme: flight attendants have lost confidence in Isom, and it’s time for him to be replaced.
Allied Pilots Association: The New “Blistering Attack”
And it’s not just flight attendants who are calling for Isom’s head. The Allied Pilots Association (APA) is expected to hold a vote of no confidence at the end of this week as a regularly scheduled board of directors meeting concludes.
Addressing the board on Wednesday, President FO Nick Silva did not hold back in his criticism of the management committee of American Airlines, saying senior leaders “failed” pilots.
“This is not a minor error — it is a clear breakdown and a failure of basic professional responsibility with direct consequences for pilots, passengers, and the company’s reputation,” Silva continued.
Isom attended an APA board meeting in March 2025 to share his vision for the airline, but Silva claims Isom’s presentation to the board “was long on optimism and platitudes, but short on specifics.”
“The company under this management team appears to lack the tools, creativity, leadership, and willpower to return American to prominence among its peers,” Silva added.
While a vote of no confidence can’t make any direct change at the top of the airline, it is a very clear signal that would further pile the pressure on Isom.
Rumors of Ouster: The Board’s Search for a Successor
All the talk surrounding American Airlines now is when and not if Isom will be ousted, with a growing number of rumors circulating about what might come next.
There is speculation that American’s board of directors has already decided to replace Isom, along with other unconfirmed reports that the board has selected external management consultants to begin a search for the airline’s new chief executive.
Who that person might be, however, is very much open to debate. An emerging frontrunner is Nat Pieper, AA’s serving chief commercial officer, while analysts have speculated whether Ben Minicucci, the chief executive of the Alaska Airlines Group, or Delta president Glen Hauenstein could be open to being headhunted.
Who do you think will succeed Robert Isom if he does end up being ousted?
