Unfortunately Overworked - Staff Assistant II American Airlines Employee Review

4.0
Nov 13, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Amazing flight benefits - it was a great way to explore the world!

Cons

I worked for AA in the administration department in PHX & transferred to ORD 2 years ago. This transition was like night & day. When I first started with the company, I had every intention of retiring with them - that is how much I believed in the company’s mission “going for greAAt”. Everyone in PHX that I worked with displayed this mentality & it reflected in a collaborative team work environment. Although the work expected didn’t align with the pay they offer, that aspect didn’t bother me so much since I always felt they offered AMAZING benefits. Unfortunately, the company morale from PHX isn’t consistent with how ORD is run. Fast forward to life at ORD - the only reason why I choose to leave the company. During my short 2 year career in Chicago, I’ve grown to realize how the Administration Management staff didn’t utilize their resources available, nor did they offer any career development/goals. There was no team collaboration, and most importantly no type of support in my current roll within the Admin department. Monthly meetings were cancelled for more than a year, innovational ideas weren’t entertained, nor was there any flexibility with our schedules. Although I was given a position I didn’t even apply for, I thrived in it. Management saw this & continued to delegate more & more tasks making my current workload biased & unreasonable. When I started to feel the “burn out” I asked for assistance. To my surprise, management wouldn’t provide any. I was laughed at & told that “I had everything under control & it didn’t seem like I needed any help”. So I continued to thrive & make the most of everyday. After-all, where could I find another job with such great benefits? Less than a month ago, we had a death in the family. I made the choice to separate from the company when I was told by management that my absences would be counted as unauthorized since I needed more than 3 days to grieve. This wasn’t the culture that I knew to be true at American & choose to no longer subject myself to these type of working conditions. I get this is how most major corporations function, but their motto “going for greAAt” should be instilled within their Management & displayed consistently regardless of which department/HUB they’re from.

Explore other reviews about American Airlines

5.0
Jun 12, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Cool place, fun people great view

Cons

Sometimes the work can te tough

2.0
Jun 10, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The individuals you meet and connections.

Cons

Employees deserve leaders who foster trust, transparency, and psychological safety. During my experience, there were instances where concerns that were raised were minimized, dismissed, or reframed in a way that left employees questioning their own experiences and perceptions. This created an environment where speaking up felt risky and eroded trust between employees and leadership. When employees do not feel heard or supported, engagement, morale, and retention inevitably suffer.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All