Flight attendants in red union t-shirts were declared a security threat at American Airlines’ corporate headquarters in Dallas after showing up with a message they wanted to hand-deliver to CEO Robert Isom. American Airlines has now apologized, but the damage has been done: I call the incident “Gucci Gate.”
“Gucci Gate” At American Airlines Is All About Optics
Yesterday, flight attendants showed up at AA’s Skyview campus in Fort Worth to deliver a letter of “no confidence” to Isom. Flight attendants are seeking a raise of up to 50% after going years without a new contract.
But security at American Airlines was urged to “BOLO” (Be On The Lookout) for anyone wearing a red union t-shirt (yes, this one).
Aviation insider JonNYC sent me the following tweets yesterday evening:
https://twitter.com/xJonNYC/status/1712609873777590581?s=20
American Airlines has since apologized, stating that the BOLO message was “unauthorized” and had been “rescinded.”
— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) October 13, 2023
I wonder who micromanages security messages?
This is all optics. It was optics for the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) to show up to HQ and deliver a note to the CEO. To what end? Do you really think telling your boss you have no confidence in him is going to get him to give you what you want?
AA’s “apology” was optics as well. Telling security guards to be on the lookout for a motley crew of flight attendants is not a good look. Of course, had that memo not leaked there would be no apology today.
But optics are one way this world goes round.
I’m calling this whole situation “Gucci-Gate” because, eventually, the flight attendants did deliver their note to Senior Vice President Brady Byrnes, who was wearing a snazzy pair of Gucci sneakers.
Those shoes, of the lack thereof, are now a symbol of solidarity:
W A R pic.twitter.com/iESjR1ULP9
— JonNYC (@xJonNYC) October 13, 2023
Byrnes, for what is worth, is a former flight attendant.
CONCLUSION
American Airlines campus security was alerted to be on the lookout for flight attendants in red shirts, a move AA has now apologized for. While this incident does not make American look particularly good, I also do not see how using nice shoes as a rallying cry for unfair wage disparity is going to secure a new contract.
It is soooo easy to just apologize nowadays after you see the damage your action/post did to yourself. Nobody believes in these apologies as they are simply done to check the box. Total BS!!! What I don’t understand is what these companies don’t have a basic “what if” analysis on their actions before they do them. Look at Delta with changes in their Medallion program, United on the blankets, AA on this, not all related but all examples of actions that were not fully analyzed and now they have to backtrack. Time to hire smart people.
What an irony; power tripping AA flight attendant are being treated like they treat everyone who disagrees with them even a bit…..a security threat that needs to be removed from the premises. I don’t agree with Isom…but good to see the ‘gucci’ shoe is on the other foot.
A totally fair point, Sam!
I think they should deliver a Letter of No Confidence in Fashion to Brady Byrnes. Those shoes are hideous and only worn, typically, by people with a pathetic need to broadcast perceived wealth.
May the FAs who are without iPhones, Vuori joggers, and LV purses cast the first stone!
“Optics”. Quickly becoming the most overused word in the English language. Right up there with “pivot”, “sustainable” and “inclusion”.