Backlash over a lackluster earnings report from American Airlines continued to grow this week as the labor union that represents the carrier’s pilots slammed executives for their performance.
In a message released ahead of the Allied Pilots Association’s winter board of directors meeting, President Nick Silva criticized American leaders for failing to make up ground with competitors United and Delta.
“Last week’s financial results fell short of already modest company guidance, underscoring a deeper problem: The company under this management team appears to lack the tools, creativity, leadership, and willpower to return American to prominence among its peers,” he wrote.
Past strategies have not meaningfully improved American’s operations or financial health, Silva argued, and management’s relationship with the pilot group is now seriously frayed. He also said that poor financial performance has a direct effect on pilot compensation, and noted that Delta will pay more than $500 million in profit sharing to its pilots this year, which is more than American’s full-year earnings.
“Even into 2026, the gap will remain, with Delta projecting earnings three times greater than ours,” the statement read. “This pattern is not new, but it is now impossible to ignore. The problems extend beyond finances to the very culture and capability of management.”
The APA’s board is expected to discuss American’s weakened position and the ability of senior officers, including CEO Robert Isom, to address workers’ concerns.
“Over the next five days, we face difficult decisions at this table,” Silva continued. “The membership’s feedback is clear: They do not believe that, under the current leadership, this company can realize its full potential. APA pilots are the best in the industry… We deserve management that treats us as an asset, not a cost unit.”
The message does not mention a no-confidence vote in America’s leadership, but Bloomberg reported Wednesday that the union is considering holding one.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents flight attendants at American, has already called for changes at the corporate level.
American last week reported fourth-quarter net income of $99 million, down from $590 million in the year-ago period, and full-year net income of $111 million, down from $846 million in 2024. The airline lost about $325 million in revenue in the fourth quarter due to the federal government shutdown, officials said.
Executives acknowledged the difficult quarter but said American is well positioned going into 2026, with years-long investments in aircraft, network, and premium offerings beginning to bear fruit. Projections call for nearly $2 of improvement in adjusted earnings per diluted share compared to 2025.
