In a rare move, the boards of directors of the unions representing American Airlines flight attendants and pilots are issuing strong criticism of the airline’s leadership and say they must correct course to prevent the continued deterioration of the once-great airline’s brand. The board of th e Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents 28,000 flight attendants, said Monday that the airline is falling “dangerously behind” competitors and is in a “relentless downward spiral” under the leadership of CEO Robert Isom and issued a vote of no confidence. In a message sent to members on Monday, the APFA board demanded “accountability, improved operational support and leadership change at American Airlines” and said the Fort Worth-based airline was falling behind competitors due to ongoing operational problems, during which frontline workers were left to deal with the fallout. The union also pointed to declining customer satisfaction ratings and rising executive compensation packages despite the continued poor performance. “From abysmal profits earned to operational failures that have front-line workers sleeping on floors, this airline must course-correct before it falls even further behind,” said Julie Hedrick, president of the APFA. “This level of failure begins at the very top, with CEO Robert Isom.” Hedrick described Isom’s leadership as “tone deaf” and said he’s shown “a complete disregard for the human element and is actively harming both American Airlines and the people who keep it running every day.” The message from the APFA comes three days after the board of directors for the Allied Pilots Association, the union representing 16,000 American Airlines pilots, sent their own scathing letter to the American Airlines Group Board of Directors. The APA said on Friday the airline was on an “underperforming path” and that leadership has “failed to define an identity or a strategy to correct course.” The APA said its assessment was based on persistent patterns of operational, cultural, and strategic shortcomings. “We need decisive action. We require leaders who are willing, equipped, and empowered to get the house in order. Leadership must change the culture of this airline, define American’s business identity, develop a strategy to not just improve but to outperform our competitors, and restore pride across the organization,” the APA said. “Anything less will result in the continued deterioration of the American Airlines brand.” Isom told NBC 5 on Monday that the airline was breaking records in the first quarter, but didn’t directly address the concerns laid out by the union boards. “We’re off to a fast start based on the booking trends we’ve observed in January, all-time records for the first three weeks of the year,” Isom said. “Our flight attendants have spoken very loudly and they have stated that they are very unhappy with the direction of this company,” said Erik Harris, treasurer with the APFA. “We want to be leading the industry.” Harris added that customers shouldn’t worry about their travel plans. “There’s nothing to worry about when it comes to traveling. We’ll get you there safely. We just want to make sure we’re getting you there on time with the best product and the best service,” Harris said. ...read more read less