American Airlines CEO Parker to step down next March

American Airlines CEO Doug Parker will retire on March 31 and be replaced by the airline’s current president, Robert Isom, AP reported.

Parker has led Texas-based American since late 2013, when he engineered a merger with smaller US Airways. He will remain as chairman, American said.

Isom had been Parker’s heir apparent since becoming president in 2016 after Scott Kirby was forced out and left to join United Airlines, where he now serves as the CEO. Isom has overseen American’s operations, including sales and pricing, and its alliances with other airlines.

Isom was previously American’s chief operating officer and held the same job under Parker at US Airways, where he was responsible for improving the airline’s on-time performance.

In a prepared statement Tuesday, Parker said American is “well-positioned to take full advantage of our industry’s recovery” from the collapse in travel caused by the pandemic, “and now is the right time for a handoff we have planned and prepared for.”