Like many business realms, the airline industry has had to make dramatic shifts during the pandemic — including employee layoffs and route changes that didn’t always please travelers. It’s an industry that always seems to be in flux, but COVID-19 raised strong concerns that air travel may not recover soon.
And American Airlines may be facing even greater challenges, now that its CEO Doug Parker has announced he’ll be retiring from the position early next year — though he’ll stay on as chairman. Parker was a prime part of the metro Phoenix's business scene when he was an executive at America West and then as chairman and CEO of U.S. Airways.
Holly Hegeman has covered airlines for decades and is publisher and founder of Plane Business Banter. The Show spoke with her to learn about Parker and the overall business.
