Kyle Mabry, American's new VP of global sales
American Airlines has promoted Kyle Mabry to VP of global sales as a part of a recent sales team restructuring that has shifted responsibilities for some of the carrier's sales team leaders.
Mabry, who had been global head of leisure, groups and middle market sales, now oversees the full scope of American's sales teams, including corporate and travel agency sales as well as American Airlines Vacations. He reports to Alison Taylor, who was promoted from SVP of global sales and distribution to chief customer officer last summer.
Mabry has been with American Airlines for more than two decades, having worked in sales across several regions for the carrier over the years, he said. On the corporate sales side, he said the work now largely entails remaining in close contact with corporate clients to stay updated on their plans for return to travel.
"We don't know when demand, especially from a corporate travel standpoint, is going to return, but we do know we're going to be ready for that," Mabry said. "We're going to be in lockstep with our corporate travel managers and travel agency partners."
Additionally, managing director of strategic account sales Hank Benedetti has been promoted to global head of corporate sales. In that role, Benedetti will oversee American's team for small and midsize accounts in addition to his previous duties overseeing large corporate accounts and consulting relationships.
Benedetti will report to Mabry, as will Jim Carter, VP of American's Central and Eastern sales division, and Shane Hodges, head of sales for American's Western division and international routes. Carter also will be looking after American's alliance with JetBlue. Hodges in recent weeks moved from Tokyo to Los Angeles to work closely with American's corporate and agency partners on the West Coast, Taylor said.
Over the past several years, American has simplified its sales structure into fewer divisions to remove "duplications of efforts," she said.