American Airlines CEO Robert Isom says there's a "meaningful gap" between where the airline is and where it should be, per an internal memo that Skift saw, reports Airlines Reporter Meghna Maharishi. So as part of a broader executive shakeup, Chief Commercial Officer Nat Pieper, Chief Financial Officer Devon May, Chief Operating Officer David Seymour, and Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden are all getting additional responsibilities.

These changes come as American faces increasing pressure to close the profit gap with its two chief rivals, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.

The gap Isom is trying to close is the one every legacy carrier is now measured against, and profitability is the first question on the agenda.

The CEO of International Airlines Group joins airline chiefs and investors at the TWA Hotel, JFK on November 12 for the one day that sets the year's agenda on profit, capacity, and loyalty.

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT FUND + SKIFT

Inbound tourism to Saudi Arabia has grown nearly 70% since 2019, and 91% of the 434 global travel executives surveyed are already investing or actively exploring it. A recent report with the Tourism Development Fund maps where the opportunities, and the risks, actually are.

Hilton announced fee cuts across seven brands through a program called RISE, but there is a catch. Only 50% of Hilton hotels currently qualify based on customer satisfaction scores.

In this clip from Good Morning Hospitality, A Skift Podcast: Hotels Edition, Sarah Dandashy and Steve Turk break down what Hilton is actually asking of owners in exchange for better margins, why this is a smart move at a moment when operating costs are rising, and what it signals when the biggest brands start giving back to owners with strings attached.

How are public travel companies performing around the world? The Skift Travel 200 pulls the data you need to understand global market movements. Paid subscribers get full access here.

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