American Airlines Group says Doug Parker will retire as CEO of Charlotte’s largest air carrier on March 31. Robert Isom, currently president of American, will succeed him. In a company video, Parker says Isom is the right person for the job, calling him "truly an inspired leader and a skilled operator with global experience."
"We prepared for this leadership succession for several years and indeed, were it not for the pandemic this transition would likely have occurred even sooner," Parker said in the video. "But we still have work to do. With our industry and our airline well on the way to recovery, I’m confident that now is the right time for this transition."
Isom also will join the airline’s board of directors on that same date, and Parker will continue to serve as chair of American’s board. Before it merged with American Airlines in 2013, the company says, Parker guided U.S. Airways to record revenue growth and operational performance above most other large airlines.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is American’s second-largest hub after Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
