American Airlines CEO expresses deep sorrow after DC plane crash. 'We are all hurting'

Chase Jordan, The Charlotte Observer on Jan 30, 2025

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Robert Isom, the CEO of American Airlines, issued a video statement Wednesday night about the American Eagle crash near Washington, D.C. and said the airline is focused on helping its passengers, crew and their families.

“This is a difficult day for all of us at American Airlines, and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, partners, first responders, along with their families and loved ones,” Isom said, as rescue crews worked in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

At a news conference Thursday morning in Washington, Isom added: “This is devastating. We are all hurting.” He also praised the work of the first responders.

He said the captain and first officer on the plane were experienced aviators, with the captain having worked for PSA for almost six years, and the first officer had worked for PSA for almost two years.

Isom said there is a designated help line that people can call to check on loved ones who may have been involved in the crash at 800-679-8215. There was no word yet where the plane’s crew was based, or information about the other victims.

Family assistant centers have been set up by American Airlines, and over 100 staffers are working to assist families. Authorities said victims were from Kansas, Washington and other locations around the country.

No survivors were expected. A total of 67 people were involved; 60 passengers and four crew on the commercial plane and three people on the military chopper.

American Airlines also accounts for about 90% of the flights out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport. In a statement, airport officials said “our hearts are shattered by the tragic events.”

About the plane crash

A passenger aircraft from Wichita, Kansas collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River on Wednesday night, prompting a massive search-and-rescue operation that extended into the night, McClatchy and the Kansas City Star reported.

American Eagle flight 5342 was a CRJ-700 aircraft operated by PSA airlines. The collision with a military aircraft happened on the approach, Isom said. Four crew members and 60 passengers were on board, Isom said.

Isom said he and a team from American Airlines, based in Fort Worth, Texas, were on their way to Washington.

About American Airlines and PSA Airlines

The airline has a major presence at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, accounting for about 90% of the flights. CLT is the second largest hub for the company. American Airlines coordinates about 700 flights every day at CLT, according to the Hub Control Center.

PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines, is moving its corporate headquarters to Charlotte next year, the company announced Wednesday.

The Dayton, Ohio-based company operates more than 750 daily departures, including over 180 out of CLT. It serves American’s American Eagle regional network, directly supporting four American hubs in Charlotte, the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the U.S. hasn’t seen a commercial airline disaster in 15 years. It has been even longer since a major crash involving American Airlines, the nation’s largest carrier.

In November 2001, American Flight 587 crashed after takeoff from JFK Airport in New York City, killing all 260 people on board. The Airbus A300 bound for Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, encountered wake turbulence from a larger Boeing 747 aircraft that took off ahead of it, the Star-Telegram reported.