American Airlines looks for employees to 'champion' the brand

Jan. 23, 2020

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2 min read

American Airlines looks for employees to 'champion' the brand

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American Airlines is recruiting employees to get their colleagues more excited about the company and act as ambassadors for the brand.

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Applications to the "American Champion" program became available last week in an internal email first revealed publicly on Twitter by Jamie Larounis of The Forward Cabin.

American confirmed the email to TPG on Tuesday, and said that the program is meant to make employees feel more connected to the company.

"American Champions is an internal advocacy program similar in nature to programs in place at other large corporations, and it’s a natural next step for American after we rolled out our purpose last year," Brooke Peterson, a spokeswoman for the airline said in a statement. "The program will bring together team members around the globe from different workgroups who are passionate about making American better and living out our purpose."

Peterson explained that last year, American put forward a new philosophy for its frontline employees that put customer service front-and-center in the company's mission.

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American has struggled with passenger satisfaction this year. Delays and cancellations during a labor dispute with mechanics emerged as chief among for the carrier this summer. Other customers have taken a dim view on cabin updates that have led to tighter seating and smaller bathrooms.

It's against that backdrop that American is rolling out its new program, perhaps as a way to help American take a more proactive step in reshaping its image with customers.

According to the airline, around 700 employees have applied to join the program so far. According to the email, those who become American Champions will be expected to attend quarterly training to learn more about the company's mission, post on social media about the airline and talk to their colleagues about company culture, among other responsibilities.