Tell Me Why

American Airlines

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.

  • 11 minutes 50 seconds
    S8:E7 — ‘It’s about who you walk and run with’— Jerry Jones

    In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager Jerry Jones joins Chief Communications Officer Ron DeFeo at The Star in Frisco, Texas, to talk about the power of partnership and what it means to build something enduring. Jerry reflects on the Cowboys’ long-standing relationship with American Airlines, the shared pursuit of excellence and how customer experience is at the heart of everything.

    17 November 2025, 4:00 pm
  • 5 minutes 35 seconds
    S8:E6 — ‘oneworld is extremely important for us’ — Turkka Kuusisto

    In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Finnair CEO Turkka Kuusisto discusses the importance of oneworld and the Atlantic Joint Business. He also discusses Finnair’s recent centennial, improvements to the customer experience and the airline’s focus on sustainability. 

    6 October 2025, 6:20 pm
  • 6 minutes 44 seconds
    S8:E5 — ‘We opened some amazing new routes’ — José Freig

    In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, José Freig, Vice President, International and Inflight Dining Operations, discusses American’s newest international routes and the exciting new products the airline is rolling out to support these markets. José also highlights the excitement of international team members as American heads into its centennial year.

    30 September 2025, 3:44 pm
  • 10 minutes 39 seconds
    S8:E4 — ‘The future of aviation is radically changing’ — Secretary Sean Duffy

    U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy discusses the evolving future of transportation and the work being done to build a state-of-the-art air traffic control system.

    22 August 2025, 3:00 pm
  • 7 minutes 26 seconds
    S8:E3 — ‘What are the best routes for us to add’ — Brian Znotins

    Brian Znotins, SVP of Network Planning, discusses the newly announced international routes and the reasoning behind the selected destinations.

    14 August 2025, 4:30 pm
  • 10 minutes 46 seconds
    S8:E2 — ‘Modernizing our digital customer experience' — Ganesh Jayaram

    In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Chief Digital and Information Officer Ganesh Jayaram joins Chief Communications Officer Ron DeFeo to discuss the critical role IT plays in enhancing the operation and customer experience. From app redesigns to new technologies supporting operations and customer interactions, the team is working hard to deliver a seamless digital journey.

    23 June 2025, 7:16 pm
  • 6 minutes 4 seconds
    S8:E1 — 'Focusing on the entire customer journey' — Heather Garboden

    On the season 8 debut of Tell Me Why, Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden joins Chief Communications Officer Ron DeFeo to talk about the renewed focus on the customer experience and how the Customer Experience organization is keeping customers at the center of decisions being made. From new lounges and a redesigned mobile app to complimentary Wi-Fi for AAdvantage® members, sponsored by AT&T, the sky’s the limit when it comes to delivering a world-class experience for our customers.  

    22 May 2025, 7:39 pm
  • 4 minutes 4 seconds
    S7:E7 — ‘We’re making loyalty even more rewarding.’ — Scott Chandler

    In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Scott Chandler, Senior Vice President of Revenue Management and Loyalty, joins Ron DeFeo, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, to share exciting updates to the AAdvantage® program. From getting to use your miles onboard to keeping it straightforward to earn status, discover how we’re making loyalty more rewarding for our customers.

    12 December 2024, 2:00 pm
  • 8 minutes 28 seconds
    S7:E6 — ‘We’re battle-tested.’ — Capt. Alan Johnson and Cedric Wilson

    In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Capt. Alan Johnson, Vice President of Flight, and Cedric Wilson, Vice President of Safety Systems, Efficiency and Compliance, join Ron DeFeo, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, to talk about how our Operations team is getting ready for a busy holiday travel season. Learn more about how American is preparing to welcome nearly 8.3 million customers during the Thanksgiving holiday period on our Newsroom.  

    21 November 2024, 6:41 pm
  • 7 minutes 44 seconds
    S7:E5 — ‘We want to increase travel.’ — Geoff Freeman

    In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Geoff Freeman, President and CEO of U.S. Travel Association, joins Ron DeFeo, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, to talk about the work the association is doing to advocate on behalf of the travel industry. American is a proud member of U.S. Travel and partners with them to ensure that the interests of the travel community, and all those employed by it, are effectively represented within the legislative process.

    21 October 2024, 5:14 pm
  • 7 minutes 51 seconds
    S7:E4 — ‘These destinations are a gateway to the rest of Europe.’ — Brian Znotins

    In the latest episode of Tell Me Why, Brian Znotins, Senior Vice President of Network and Schedule Planning, joins Ron DeFeo, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, to talk about the summer 2025 network announcement. American continues to grow its comprehensive global network and will offer customers five new routes to Europe next summer, including returning to Edinburgh, Scotland (EDI) for the first time since 2019.

    10 September 2024, 4:29 pm
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