American Airlines may have backed away from plans to limit how AAdvantage loyalty program members earn miles and points based on booking channel, but the airline intends to continue moving forward with a plan to reward travel agents it designates as “preferred,” according to a copy of an email the airline sent to corporate clients and travel agents.
The memo, signed by American Airlines senior vice president of partnerships and retail Scott Lawrence, did not provide any details about the program but said agents “will soon receive additional information about our Preferred Agent Program and upcoming incentives to reward agents who continue to promote and book travel through our New Distribution Capability technology.”
Commercial customers were also told they would “receive additional information soon regarding our preferred dealer program and sales and distribution strategy.”
The Preferred Agent Program was announced in February and was originally planned to launch on May 1, but was postponed to July 11. To qualify as a Preferred Agent, agents were required to have at least 30% of their U.S. volume booked through NDC channels by April 21. That figure would increase to 50% by October 31 and 70% by April 30, 2025. It was unclear how these percentages would be measured.
The email also repeated comments made by American Airlines CEO Robert Isom during an investor conference call on Wednesday, when he said the airline no longer plans to change how AAdvantage members earn miles and points. Isom also noted that the airline moved “faster than we should have” on its NDC strategy and “did not execute well.”
The apology came a day after American Airlines announced that its chief commercial officer, Vas Raja, a key architect of the airline's distribution strategy, would leave the company in June.
The memos included comments from Isom saying American was “reviewing its policies” to ensure its mutual corporate travelers and travel agency customers “provide the best experience with American and ensure ease of doing business with us.”
Lawrence added that American Airlines is “adapting our approach holistically, with the priority of ensuring travelers are not negatively impacted by our policy changes in the future, no matter where they book. Every decision we make is with our mutual customers in mind, as well as creating the best possible experience for our travel agents and corporate partners.”
Source: Business Travel News
