Newsmaker: AA Appoints Cush To Top Sales Job

AMR Corp. subsidiary American Airlines, the world's largest commercial air carrier, last month named David Cush as its new vice president and general sales manager. He replaces AA veteran Craig Kreeger, who became the carrier's vice president of Europe and Asia.

In addition to a two-year stint as COO of Aerolineas Argentinas, Cush since 1986 has held several AA positions, including roles in international planning and alliances, finance, administration and marketing. He has held directorial posts in the Africa, Caribbean, Europe, Latin America and Middle East divisions. Most recently, he oversaw a strategic revamp of American's hub in St. Louis, acquired as part of the Trans World Airlines purchase.

Cush, who already has begun working with American's corporate sales team, said AA will continue seeking share shifts within its base of corporate and agency accounts, developing programs for converts to American and building consolidated, global programs for multinational accounts. "Corporate accounts and travel agency partners are key to the success of any share-shift programs," he said. "We think we have the very best portfolio in the marketplace, and we manage that delicate balance very well."

Nevertheless, Cush faces several challenges at home and abroad in retaining corporate clients and improving American's revenue generation. In the U.S. market, the carrier is attempting to fend off the advance of low-cost carriers and hold its own against a restructuring United Airlines and the maturing Continental-Delta-Northwest alliance. On a global scale, American's Oneworld partnership cannot yet offer to corporate clients the level of contract integration available from Star Alliance and SkyTeam, two groupings partially immunized from antitrust regulations.

However, Cush said, "Our enormous network makes American the clear choice in many instances."

"The ability of Craig and David to step into new roles, while preserving the momentum of our recovery here at AMR, is further testament to the strength of our existing leadership team," said Gerard Arpey, AMR president and CEO, adding that Kreeger "has done a great job spearheading our sales programs, as well as leading the critical effort to address distribution costs."

Kreeger's move overseas to head international sales activities and operations in Europe and Asia followed AMR's appointment of James Beer to the post of senior vice president of finance and CFO. Beer, who previously served as vice president of Europe and Asia, succeeds Jeffrey Campbell, who in November resigned from his AMR CFO duties to take up a similar post with McKesson Corp.