Brian Hodges is Director of Strategy at American Airlines Cargo, where he brings a sharp engineering background into the fast-paced world of commercial air logistics. Starting his cargo journey in revenue management, Hodges has built a career focused on harnessing data to make smarter decisions—and never misses an opportunity to blend strategy with a touch of fun.
How did you get into airfreight/logistics?
My background is engineering, and at one point in my career, I decided to switch over into a commercial industry that had to win every single day and compete. I found that with American Airlines, and American Airlines Cargo in particular. I started out in revenue management, actually managing pricing for Europe.
What was your dream job as a child?
Playing centre field in Major League Baseball.
What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in the industry?
Digital is changing every aspect of our business. What digital really means for us is data and being able to react to things in real time. So anytime you can digitise a transaction, now I’ve got a record—and if I can have that in real time, I can take action. We can head off things from an operational perspective and maximise our revenue potential. I love seeing that change.
What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever shipped?
Definitely sharks. We had sharks in little aquarium containers that we moved, and everybody wanted to see that.
If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be?
I said my dream job was to play centre field in Major League Baseball, and that really hasn’t changed. I’d like to take a couple of innings at least.
What’s your guilty pleasure TV show or movie?
It’s a throwback movie—same theme—Major League Baseball.
If you could introduce one new regulation in air cargo, what would it be?
I’d prefer to take a few away.
Describe your job in three words?
Make cargo smarter.
What’s something on your bucket list?
I would love to travel to New Zealand and Australia. I haven’t made it there yet.
What’s the best airport in the world, and why?
I’m going to be very selfish and say Dallas Fort Worth, because it’s the easiest to travel out of if you live there.
What quote has resonated most with you?
Nothing is impossible, if you put your mind to it.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
A late-night food tour in New Delhi—it was absolutely a blast.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Fly. I want to be able to fly.
What’s your proudest moment and your biggest regret?
My proudest moment is definitely becoming a dad to two beautiful girls. My biggest regret? I wanted to be a fighter pilot growing up, and unfortunately, my eyesight didn’t allow for that.
