American CEO Says Airline Will Coexist, Not Compete, With Zoom
Skift Take
Drawing parallels with the 1990s internet boom may seem odd, but Doug Parker thinks history will repeat itself, and more relationship building on virtual meeting platforms will only encourage more meetings in person.
The chairman and CEO of one of the world’s biggest airlines has brushed off the impact of virtual meetings, saying they will bring more people together.
Like many airline chiefs, Doug Parker is “bullish” on the future, particularly after a surge in demand for transatlantic flights after the travel ban lifted on Nov. 8. But American Airlines is poised to begin 2022 as a larger airline — despite labor woes.
Speaking at Skift Aviation Forum on Wednesday, Parker said business travel will return to 2019 levels, at some point.
Responding to Skift Airline Weekly Editor Madhu Unnikrishnan’s observation that his predecessor, Robert Crandall, noted in the 1990s that the internet made the world smaller, the cur
