Skift Take
American Airlines tried to drag an entrenched industry toward the airline's vision of a more productive distribution future. But the financial hit stung.
Online and offline travel agencies had faced a July 11 deadline: That's when flyers buying American Airlines tickets on certain booking sites would have no longer been able to earn AAdvantage Miles.
But American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said Wednesday that the airline has dropped the idea. It was part of an overall retreat in American's direct-booking strategy as it faces softness in close-in bookings and a weaker financial outlook.
"Next month, we were going to differentiate who earned AAdvantage Miles and who didn't, based on where they booked. That's off," Isom tol