American Airlines’ flight attendants’ union has issued an unprecedented vote of no confidence in CEO Robert Isom, citing what it describes as management decisions that have left the carrier “dangerously behind” key competitors.
According to the union, the vote is intended as a direct signal that American’s largest unionised workgroup has “no confidence or trust” in the current management team under Isom’s leadership. APFA said it is seeking accountability, stronger operational support for frontline staff, and leadership change at the airline.
“From abysmal profits earned to operational failures that have front-line Workers sleeping on floors, this airline must course-correct before it falls even further behind,” said Julie Hedrick, President of the APFA, representing more than 28,000 flight attendants at American. “This level of failure begins at the very top, with CEO Robert Isom.”
The union also criticised executive pay outcomes, saying senior leadership compensation remained elevated despite what it characterised as deteriorating financial and operational results. APFA referenced American’s 2023 SEC Proxy Statement and said CEO Robert Isom’s compensation and benefits increased. The union also pointed to comments made by Isom during the company’s first-quarter 2024 earnings call, where it said he acknowledged he was “not satisfied” with results, while executives continued to receive substantial pay packages.
APFA further alleged that a corporate sales and distribution strategy backed by Isom alienated business customers and negatively affected revenue, describing this as a major setback for the airline. It said the former chief commercial officer linked to the strategy departed abruptly in June 2024, and that the executive received more than $462,000 in base pay through January 31, 2025, and nearly $1 million in severance.
The union also highlighted what it described as declining customer outcomes and broader reputational impacts, referencing rankings that placed American at the bottom of the market across premium and economy segments, alongside a slide in an airline performance league table between 2023 and 2025.
Operational disruption remains a core union concern, with APFA citing what it described as chaotic operations during weather events, service inconsistencies, and declining customer trust. It also referenced a joint call by unions representing American Airlines workers, stating that by October 2025 they sought a credible turnaround plan to address widening performance gaps, a plan the union said did not emerge.
“Management’s repeated failures are dragging this airline down and leaving frontline Workers to pay the price, including losing out on meaningful profit sharing at a company that should be thriving,” added Hedrick. “When the recent winter storm hamstrung our operations to the point where Flight Attendants were sleeping on airport floors, Robert Isom’s response was that it was just ‘part of our job.’ His tone-deaf leadership shows a complete disregard for the human element and is actively harming both American Airlines and the people who keep it running every day.”