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2026-09-17 13:26:10
[American Airlines Says 30% of Seats Contribute Half of Revenue, Airlines Race to Add Premium Seats] (1) American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said Wednesday that only 30% of its seats contribute half of the company's revenue. (2) This percentage has prompted American Airlines and its competitors, large and small, to revamp existing aircraft configurations to add more first-class and other high-yield options. Isom said at a Morgan Stanley industry conference that this 30% premium seat segment will only grow in the fleet as refurbishments come online and new aircraft are delivered. (3) American Airlines launched 70 suites of business class on its largest aircraft, the Boeing 777-300ER, earlier this month, with more aircraft awaiting refurbishment. (4) American Airlines is lagging behind its larger airline competitors in profitability. Isom has said that adding premium seats to attract high-spending customers is key, especially as airlines try to cover soaring fuel costs this year, the second-largest expense after labor. (5) Even smaller and low-cost carriers like Allegiant and JetBlue are adding upgraded seat options to attract these passengers. (6) In June, Isom said that American Airlines also plans to revamp the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner and the new interior of the 777-200 is also coming soon; the airline will order new wide-body aircraft this year.
