Tell Me Why

By American Airlines

Society & Culture Business Aviation Places & Travel

What's Tell Me Why about?

Have you ever wondered why we do the things we do? Wonder no more! Welcome to the "Tell Me Why" podcast, a series that talks about the "why" behind the decisions we make or the approach we take at the company.

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Tell Me Why episodes:

12.29.2023
S6:E11 — Tell Me Why: ‘When you are an innovator, you are focused on your customers, not your competitors’ — Vasu Raja
In the season 6 finale of Tell Me Why, Vasu Raja, Chief Commercial Officer, talks about how we think about our business and our customers – from the best global network to the award-winning AAdvantage program to connecting directly with...
11.13.2023
S6:E10 — Tell Me Why: ‘The team is what’s going to make this work.’ — Anne Moroni
S6:E10 — Tell Me Why: ‘The team is what’s going to make this work.’ — Anne Moroni by American Airlines
09.14.2023
S6:E9 — ‘Fuel is a commodity and it’s all about the supply and demand dynamics’ —Meghan Montana
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Meghan Montana, Senior Vice President and Treasurer, talks about the recent run-up in fuel prices, the proactive decisions we’re making to protect American from the rise in costs and how team members...
09.08.2023
S6:E8 — ‘Sustainability Is At The Heart Of Building An Airline That Thrives Forever’—Jill Blickstein
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Jill Blickstein, VP and Chief Sustainability Officer talks about sustainability and why it’s so important for our airline. We’re on a path to net-zero emissions by 2050, and there is a lot...
08.17.2023
S6:E7 – Tell Me Why: ‘We’re excited to add new destinations to the mix’ — Brian Znotins
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Brian Znotins, Senior Vice President of Network Planning, talks about the summer 2024 network announcement. Next year, we’ll offer service to three new European cities, add one brand new route and resume...
07.21.2023
Earnings Highlights — 2Q23
Listen in to the latest episode for a recap of the second-quarter 2023 earnings call. Get the highlights of what Robert and other leaders discussed — from financial to operational performance.
07.14.2023
S6:E6 – ‘Focused on a consistent, convenient & connected experience’ — Carolyne Truelove & Kim Cisek
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Carolyne Truelove, Vice President of Reservations and Service Recovery, and Kim Cisek, Vice President of Customer Experience, join Ron DeFeo, Chief Communications Officer, to talk about how we’re working to deliver a...
06.15.2023
S6:E5 - ‘We operate for our customers’ — David Seymour
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, David Seymour, Chief Operating Officer, joins Ron DeFeo, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, to talk about how we’re working as a team and solving for the system to deliver a reliable operation...
06.02.2023
S6:E4 — ‘We want to be a winning franchise, not just have a winning season’ — Jessica Tyler
Jessica Tyler, VP, IOC, joins Ron DeFeo to talk about how the IOC team is focused on delivering for our customers and fulfilling the promise we made when they booked travel with us. Earlier this week, Chief Operating Officer David...
05.08.2023
S6:E3 — ‘We are laser-focused on ensuring we have our operation running well.’ — Evie Garces
In the latest edition of Tell Me Why, Evie Garces, VP of Line Maintenance discusses the important around-the-clock work Tech Ops performs, the critical role the team plays in our summer operation and steps American is taking to open doors...
04.28.2023
Earnings Highlights — 1Q23
Don’t have time to listen to the full earnings call? No worries. We’ve put together the highlights in our new podcast recapping the call where Robert and other leaders discussed our financial and operational performance.
04.12.2023
S6:E2 — ‘Our customers have changed, and how they shop has changed’ — Scott Laurence & Thomas Rajan
In the newest edition of Tell Me Why, Scott Laurence, SVP of Partnership Strategy and International, and Thomas Rajan, VP of Global Sales, discuss how American is implementing New Distribution Capability technology, which we use to distribute offers to customers...
03.30.2023
S6:E1 — ‘We are ready to execute for a great summer’ — Julie Rath
In the Season 6 premiere of Tell Me Why, Julie Rath, SVP of Airport Operations, discusses how the American team is carrying our strong operational momentum forward, following an impressive first quarter and spring break operation period so far. With...
01.28.2023
Earnings Highlights — 4Q22/FY22
Don’t have time to listen to a full earnings call? We’ve launched a new series with all the highlights. Hear what CEO Robert Isom had to say about our financial and operational performance in 2022 and what lies ahead for...
12.14.2022
S5:E13 — ‘We’re ready to run a reliable operation during the winter holiday’ — Julie Rath
In the Season 5 finale of Tell Me Why, Julie Rath, SVP of Airport Operations, joins Ron DeFeo, Chief Communications Officer, to discuss how our team ran a reliable operation during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period and is prepared to...
11.09.2022
S5:E12 — ‘The uniqueness of Stand Up To Cancer partnering with American is just so special’
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Rusty Robertson, award-winning marketer and Co-founder of Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), and Eric Stonestreet, two-time Emmy Award-winning actor, best known for his portrayal of Cam on the hit comedy series “Modern...
10.26.2022
S5:E11 — ‘We’re creating a global network with our partners’ — Scott Laurence
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Scott Laurence, SVP of Partnership Strategy, joins Ron DeFeo, Chief Communications Officer, to talk about how our partnership strategy is helping us create a world-class customer experience. Scott also discusses the...
10.18.2022
S5:E10 — ‘We have an incredible team running a reliable hub’ — Ralph Lopez
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Ralph Lopez, VP of CLT Operations, joins Ron DeFeo, Chief Communications Officer, to talk about the work the team is doing in CLT to run a reliable operation. Succeeding in DFW and...
10.07.2022
S5:E9 — ‘Our reliability in September was the best September we’ve ever had.’ — JC Gulbranson
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, JC Gulbranson, Senior Vice President of Flight Operations and IOC, joins Ron DeFeo, Chief Communications Officer, to discuss American’s strong operational performance in September, including during the devasting hurricanes, as well as...
09.27.2022
S5:E8 — Hispanic Heritage month and 25 Years of the Latin Diversity Network — Juan Carlos Liscano
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Juan Carlos Liscano, Vice President of MIA Operations, joins Ron DeFeo, Chief Communications Officer, to discuss his personal story tied to Hispanic Heritage Month and the Latin Diversity Network (LDN) Employee Business...
08.29.2022
S5:E7 — ‘The operation plays a really critical role in the schedule that we fly’ — Brian Znotins
You’ve likely seen news articles lately about changes to our schedule, but there’s more to the story than just the headlines. In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Brian Znotins, Vice President of Network Planning, joins Ron DeFeo, Chief...
08.18.2022
S5:E6 — ‘We have a lot of flexibility as we continue to navigate the recovery’ — Meghan Montana
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Meghan Montana, , Vice President and Treasurer, joins Ron DeFeo, Chief Communications Officer, to share insight on three important topics – liquidity, debt and fuel. Meghan explains how well-positioned we are to...
06.07.2022
S5:E5 — ‘We want to build the best network in the world and deliver on it reliably’ — Anne Moroni
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Anne Moroni, Vice President of Operations Planning and Performance, and Brian Znotins, Vice President of Network Planning, join Ron DeFeo, Chief Communications Officer, to talk through how we’ve worked to build and...
05.23.2022
S5:E4 — ‘We contribute at such a high level for this airline’ — Franco Tedeschi
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Franco Tedeschi, VP of Domestic Airports and Strategic Partnerships, joins Ron DeFeo, Chief Communications Officer, to talk about the role the spoke and gateway airports play in running a reliable operation. Our...
05.10.2022
S5:E3 — ‘It’s been an incredible effort to make sure we’re ready for summer’ — JC Gulbranson
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, JC Gulbranson, SVP, Airport Operations, joins Ron DeFeo, Chief Communications Officer, to talk about the incredible work our airport teams have been doing to get ready for summer. We’ve been preparing for...
04.27.2022
S5:E2 — ‘We’re getting back to the fundamentals’ — David Seymour
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, COO David Seymour joins Chief Communications Officer Ron DeFeo to talk about our focus on excelling at the fundamentals. The “one team” mentality is pivotal to mastering the turn, which our team...
04.13.2022
S5:E1 — ‘We have an outsized role in the success of our airline’ — Jim Moses
Have you ever wondered why we do the things we do at American? The Tell Me Why vodcast is a series that gives team members a look at the "why" behind the decisions our leaders make in guiding the world’s...
06.23.2021
S4:05 — Tell Me Why: “Welcomed as my true, authentic self.” — Molly Wilkinson
On a recent episode of Tell Me Why – the American Airlines vodcast series for team members that shares the “why” behind the decisions we make – host Caroline Clayton, Vice President of Global Engagement for American, sat down with...
04.14.2021
S4:04 — Tell Me Why: “How we can engage customers beyond travel” — Rick Elieson
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Rick Elieson, President of the AAdvantage loyalty program, discusses the first 40 years of the AAdvantage program, why it’s just as important today as it was on May 1, 1981, and how...
03.10.2021
S4:03 — Tell Me Why: “The vaccines are all proving highly effective” — Jennifer Saddy
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Jennifer Saddy, Managing Director, Absence Management, discusses the importance of team members getting a COVID-19 vaccine, the efforts the company is undertaking to help facilitate that and the new incentive program for...
03.10.2021
S4:02 – Tell Me Why: “You should be excited about this” — Vasu Raja
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Chief Revenue Officer Vasu Raja explains what our new Northeast Alliance with JetBlue means for our team, the value of codeshares and how the alliance will help American continue to grow in...
02.12.2021
S4:01 – Tell Me Why: “We’ve set a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050” — Jill Blickstein
In the Season 4 debut of Tell Me Why, Jill Blickstein, Managing Director of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), explains the strides American made on sustainability in the past year, despite the challenges the company faced due to the COVID-19...
11.25.2020
S3E10 - Tell Me Why: “We made improvements not just for American, but for the industry as a whole.”
n the latest episode of Tell Me Why, two of American’s Boeing 737 experts stop by to discuss the latest as American prepares to return the Boeing 737 MAX to commercial service on Dec. 29. John DeLeeuw, Chair of the...
08.31.2020
S3:E6 - Tell Me Why: “It’s a real partnership across so many different groups.” — Jessica Tyler
In the latest Tell Me Why, President of Cargo and Vice President of Airport Excellence Jessica Tyler talks about the recent blending of the Cargo and Airport Excellence groups into a single team. Jessica discusses how Airport Excellence team members...
08.10.2020
S3E5 - “That’s the key to stopping the spread. It’s the multiple layers.” — David Seymour
S3E5 - “That’s the key to stopping the spread. It’s the multiple layers.” — David Seymour by American Airlines
07.17.2020
S3E03 — “Our partnerships are about growing our airline” — Vasu Raja
After a brief hiatus, Tell Me Why returns with a familiar face and an exciting announcement. Chief Revenue Officer Vasu Raja explains the strategy behind the announcement of a strategic partnership with JetBlue, which will create which will create a...
02.26.2020
S3:E02 — “It’s a day of celebration” — Brady Byrnes
In this episode of Tell Me Why, Brady Byrnes, Managing Director of Base Operations, talks about the upcoming launch of the new Lands’ End uniform collection for Flight Service, Airport Customer Service and Premium Guest Services. We’ve been on the...
02.13.2020
S3:E01 — “Alaska has a really, really great network fit with us” — Vasu Raja
Season 3 of Tell Me Why premieres with Senior Vice President of Network Strategy Vasu Raja. Tune in to learn more about our new West Coast International Alliance with Alaska Airlines, the exciting new routes that our new West Coast...
12.05.2019
S2:E32 — “Miles do change people’s lives” — Brian Kelly, The Points Guy
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, we sat down with Brian Kelly, founder and CEO of The Points Guy. Brian discusses his first redemption trip on US Airways at age 12, loyalty trends and his predictions on the...
11.13.2019
S2:E31 — “Every day is an opportunity” — Ralph Lopez
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Ralph Lopez, Vice President of the Integrated Operations Center, talks about what takes place at the facility on a day-to-day basis, the latest technology and tools used to help run the operation...
10.30.2019
S2:E30 — “These aircraft all do have other lives” — Scott Stark
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, we visited the Roswell International Air Center in New Mexico and sat down with center's director Scott Stark. Scott talks about why Roswell is the perfect location for aircraft storage, what happens...
10.16.2019
S2:E29 —“Even more choice than before” — Adrienne Schneider
Check out the latest episode of Tell Me Why, in which Adrienne Schneider, Director of Benefits, shares the scoop on Annual Enrollment for 2020 benefits. Adrienne discusses several enhancements we’re making for 2020, introduces the DFW ConnectedCare option for DFW-area...
10.11.2019
S2:E28 — “Mental health affects all of us” — Neisha Strambler-Butler
In this episode of Tell Me Why, Neisha Strambler-Butler, Vice President of Compensation and Benefits, discusses the need to increase dialogue about mental health to remove the stigma and what resources are available to help team members care for themselves...
10.02.2019
S2:E27 — “There’s a lot to be proud of with this program” — Brady Byrnes
In this episode of Tell Me Why, Brady Byrnes, Managing Director of Base Operations, talks about the industry-leading uniform program for Flight Service, Airport Customer Service and Premium Customer Services. With the highest level of garment certification, an unprecedented level...
09.25.2019
S2:E26 — “There’s new technology that assures us of a better fit”
In this episode of Tell Me Why, special guest Theresa Colarusso, head of Client Success at True Fit, joins Brady Byrnes, Managing Director of Base Operations, to talk about the technology behind True Fit, an online tool that team members...
09.18.2019
S2:E25 — “Your new payroll system” — Margaret Dobberstein and Sam Liyanage
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Margaret Dobberstein, Managing Director of Payroll Operations, and Sam Liyanage, Managing Director of Accounting Automation, talk about what team members can look forward to when they move to the new payroll system,...
09.12.2019
S2:E24 — “Incredibly honored to be here” — Cameron Row and Brian Kilian
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, we visited the Roswell International Air Center in New Mexico and sat down with Pilot Career Development Senior Analyst Cameron Row and DFW Terminal D American Airlines Credit Union Manager Brian Kilian....
08.28.2019
S2:E23 – “The more we can perfect communication, the better the results.” — Jim Butler
In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, we spent time at the IOC with Jim Butler, Senior Vice President of International and Cargo. Jim discusses how two-way conversations between leaders and team members have led to better operational results,...
08.28.2019
S2:E22 – “Regional and mainline, we want to win” — Glenda Rivera
Check out the latest episode of Tell Me Why, in which we spent time in front of Terminal F at PHL with Glenda Rivera, Director of Regional Operations for Piedmont. Glenda discusses how the regional team coordinates with the mainline,...
08.14.2019
S2:E21 – “We're going to really, really succeed over the long run” — Vasu Raja
Last week in our special two-part episode of Tell Me Why, Vasu Raja, Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning, explained how we're entering Tel Aviv, why Eastern Europe works so well from ORD and why we're calling Morocco the...

What's Tell Me Why about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Tell Me Why episodes:

S6:E11 — Tell Me Why: ‘When you are an innovator, you are focused on your customers, not your competitors’ — Vasu Raja

S6:E10 — Tell Me Why: ‘The team is what’s going to make this work.’ — Anne Moroni

S6:E9 — ‘Fuel is a commodity and it’s all about the supply and demand dynamics’ —Meghan Montana

S6:E8 — ‘Sustainability Is At The Heart Of Building An Airline That Thrives Forever’—Jill Blickstein

S6:E7 – Tell Me Why: ‘We’re excited to add new destinations to the mix’ — Brian Znotins

Earnings Highlights — 2Q23

S6:E6 – ‘Focused on a consistent, convenient & connected experience’ — Carolyne Truelove & Kim Cisek

S6:E5 - ‘We operate for our customers’ — David Seymour

S6:E4 — ‘We want to be a winning franchise, not just have a winning season’ — Jessica Tyler

S6:E3 — ‘We are laser-focused on ensuring we have our operation running well.’ — Evie Garces

Earnings Highlights — 1Q23

S6:E2 — ‘Our customers have changed, and how they shop has changed’ — Scott Laurence & Thomas Rajan

S6:E1 — ‘We are ready to execute for a great summer’ — Julie Rath

Earnings Highlights — 4Q22/FY22

S5:E13 — ‘We’re ready to run a reliable operation during the winter holiday’ — Julie Rath

S5:E12 — ‘The uniqueness of Stand Up To Cancer partnering with American is just so special’

S5:E11 — ‘We’re creating a global network with our partners’ — Scott Laurence

S5:E10 — ‘We have an incredible team running a reliable hub’ — Ralph Lopez

S5:E9 — ‘Our reliability in September was the best September we’ve ever had.’ — JC Gulbranson

S5:E8 — Hispanic Heritage month and 25 Years of the Latin Diversity Network — Juan Carlos Liscano

S5:E7 — ‘The operation plays a really critical role in the schedule that we fly’ — Brian Znotins

S5:E6 — ‘We have a lot of flexibility as we continue to navigate the recovery’ — Meghan Montana

S5:E5 — ‘We want to build the best network in the world and deliver on it reliably’ — Anne Moroni

S5:E4 — ‘We contribute at such a high level for this airline’ — Franco Tedeschi

S5:E3 — ‘It’s been an incredible effort to make sure we’re ready for summer’ — JC Gulbranson

S5:E2 — ‘We’re getting back to the fundamentals’ — David Seymour

S5:E1 — ‘We have an outsized role in the success of our airline’ — Jim Moses

S4:05 — Tell Me Why: “Welcomed as my true, authentic self.” — Molly Wilkinson

S4:04 — Tell Me Why: “How we can engage customers beyond travel” — Rick Elieson

S4:03 — Tell Me Why: “The vaccines are all proving highly effective” — Jennifer Saddy

S4:02 – Tell Me Why: “You should be excited about this” — Vasu Raja

S4:01 – Tell Me Why: “We’ve set a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050” — Jill Blickstein

S3E10 - Tell Me Why: “We made improvements not just for American, but for the industry as a whole.”

S3:E6 - Tell Me Why: “It’s a real partnership across so many different groups.” — Jessica Tyler

S3E5 - “That’s the key to stopping the spread. It’s the multiple layers.” — David Seymour

S3E03 — “Our partnerships are about growing our airline” — Vasu Raja

S3:E02 — “It’s a day of celebration” — Brady Byrnes

S3:E01 — “Alaska has a really, really great network fit with us” — Vasu Raja

S2:E32 — “Miles do change people’s lives” — Brian Kelly, The Points Guy

S2:E31 — “Every day is an opportunity” — Ralph Lopez

S2:E30 — “These aircraft all do have other lives” — Scott Stark

S2:E29 —“Even more choice than before” — Adrienne Schneider

S2:E28 — “Mental health affects all of us” — Neisha Strambler-Butler

S2:E27 — “There’s a lot to be proud of with this program” — Brady Byrnes

S2:E26 — “There’s new technology that assures us of a better fit”

S2:E25 — “Your new payroll system” — Margaret Dobberstein and Sam Liyanage

S2:E24 — “Incredibly honored to be here” — Cameron Row and Brian Kilian

S2:E23 – “The more we can perfect communication, the better the results.” — Jim Butler

S2:E22 – “Regional and mainline, we want to win” — Glenda Rivera

S2:E21 – “We're going to really, really succeed over the long run” — Vasu Raja