Size

• American Airlines and its affiliates have approximately 3,400 flights daily. AA serves 250 cities in 40 countries.
  
  

Performance

• As of October 2009, American Airlines gets travelers to their destinations on time 77.5 percent of the time, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Approximately 4.5 percent of American Airlines passengers report mishandled bags.
  
  

Geography

• American Airlines is based in Dallas/Fort Worth, from which 745 flights depart every day. JFK International Airport in New York, O'Hare International Airport in Chicago and Miami International Airport are secondary hubs.
  
  

Significance

• The first black commercial airline pilot, Dave Harris, worked for American Airlines for more than 30 years. The Organization of Black Airline Pilots honored Harris as a groundbreaker in 2008. American Airlines was also the first major airline to break the gender barrier, hiring female pilot Bonnie Tiburzi in 1973.
  
  

Fun Fact

• American Airlines Stewardess College was launched in Dallas in 1957. Students learned specific techniques for working on airplanes.