We lost over $3 billion in the first quarter. As bad as those numbers are, they’re so much better than they were a quarter ago.

So how are you assessing the current state of your airline? doug parker Southwest and Delta are in similar positions, though with smaller net losses.

Without the aid, you were actually in the red, with a net loss of $1.1 billion. Let’s talk about in the recent earnings report, American announced that it’s finally back to profitability, a tiny profit of $19 million for the quarter, but that includes a $1.4 billion of government assistance. So I wanted to talk to Parker about the havoc that the pandemic has wrought and what he sees in the future for air travel. This as the more contagious Delta variant spreads across the country, some concerned about their summer travel plans. Passengers gone wild at 40,000 feet, fights over face coverings leading to major crackdowns. archived recordingĪmerican Airlines said it canceled hundreds of flights over the weekend. But now, air travel is back, which has created a whole new set of challenges. Things got so bad that the federal government stepped in, bailing out the airline industry to the tune of $54 billion. Last year as borders closed and cities went into lockdown, American was forced to cancel around 40% of its flights per day, and one of its most prominent stakeholders, Warren Buffett, jumped ship. No one knows this better than Doug Parker, the chairman and C.E.O. I’m Kara Swisher, and you’re listening to “Sway.” Travel was one of the first sectors to feel the impact of the pandemic last year and arguably one of the hardest hit.

(SINGING) When you walk in the room, do you have sway? kara swisher Doug Parker tries to explain why massive bailouts didn’t solve the problems that plague your travel and why he’s not enacting a vaccine mandate. on Why He’s Not Requiring You, or His Workers, to be Vaccinated American Airlines C.E.O.

Problems with american airlines