Ed Bastian
{{Short description|American business executive and Delta Air Lines CEO (born 1957)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ed Bastian
| image = Ed Bastian Delta CEO.jpg
| caption = Bastian in 2017
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|6|6}}
| birth_place = Poughkeepsie, New York, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| education = St. Bonaventure University (BBA)
| title = Chief executive officer of Delta Air Lines
| term = May 2, 2016 – present
| predecessor = Richard Anderson
| successor =
| boards = Aeroméxico, Atlanta Committee for Progress, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Woodruff Arts Center, Virgin Atlantic, Greater Atlanta Christian School
| spouse =
| children = 4
}}
Edward Herman Bastian (born June 6, 1957) is an American business executive who has served as the chief executive officer of Delta Air Lines since May 2, 2016.{{Cite news |date=February 3, 2018 |title=Delta announces executive succession |url=https://news.delta.com/delta-announces-executive-succession |access-date=December 17, 2018 |work=Delta News Hub |publisher=Delta Air Lines}}
During his tenure as CEO, Bastian opposed certain consumer protection regulations proposed by the Biden administration, including rules requiring automatic cash refunds for canceled flights and the upfront display of full ticket prices. Following Donald Trump’s election victory in 2024, Bastian expressed support for Trump, stating that his administration would be beneficial for the airline industry.
Early life and education
Bastian grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York, the oldest of nine children. His father was a dentist and his mother was a dental assistant. The couple operated a dental practice from within the family home.{{Cite news|url=http://fortune.com/longform/delta-airlines-ceo-ed-bastian/|title=Delta Buckles Up For Turbulence|last=Tully|first=Shawn|date=November 27, 2018|work=Fortune|access-date=December 17, 2018}} He graduated from Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Poughkeepsie in 1975.{{cite web |title=Edward Bastian ’75 |url=https://www.ollchs.org/live/profiles/212-edward-bastian-75/templates/details/alumni-profiles.php |website=www.ollchs.org |publisher=Our Lady of Lourdes High School |access-date=1 November 2021 |language=en}}
In 1979, Bastian received a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from St. Bonaventure University in St. Bonaventure, New York.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wivb.com/news/national/st-bonaventure-grad-to-take-over-for-delta-air-lines-ceo-anderson-as-he-retires/1108497468|title=St. Bonaventure grad to take over for Delta Air Lines CEO Anderson as he retires|last=Belcher|first=Mark|date=February 4, 2016|work=WIVB-TV|access-date=December 17, 2018}}
Career
Bastian began his career as an auditor at Price Waterhouse (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) in New York City. In 1981, he uncovered a $50 million fraud involving the advertising firm J. Walter Thompson, which led to an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and negatively affected several executives at the firm. He was named a partner at the firm at age 31.
He later joined PepsiCo as a vice president, overseeing international finances for its Frito-Lay division. In 1998, Bastian joined Delta Air Lines as vice president of finance and controller.{{Cite web |last=Kelly Yamanouchi |first=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |title=Delta CEO departing, successor named |url=https://www.ajc.com/business/delta-ceo-departing-successor-named/D0RywPa1LOgRj7hdtmEx2L/ |access-date=2020-03-31 |website=ajc |language=en}} He was promoted to senior vice president in 2000.{{Cite web |last=Executive |first=Chief |date=2018-01-02 |title=Edward Bastian Restructures Delta Into The "Winningest" Airline |url=https://chiefexecutive.net/ceo1000-edward-bastian-restructures-delta-into-the-winningest-airline/ |access-date=2020-03-31 |website=ChiefExecutive.net |language=en-US}} In 2005, he briefly left Delta to serve as chief financial officer at Acuity Brands, but returned to Delta the same year.{{Cite news |last=Cohen |first=Brian |title=Ed Bastian to Succeed Richard Anderson as Chief Executive Officer of Delta Air Lines |url=https://thegate.boardingarea.com/ed-bastian-to-succeed-richard-anderson-as-chief-executive-officer-of-delta-air-lines/ |access-date=December 17, 2018 |work=The Gate |publisher=BoardingArea}}
= Delta Air Lines =
Bastian returned to Delta in July 2005 to serve as chief financial officer at the request of then Delta CEO Gerald Grinstein. In 2007, he was appointed to president, a position he held until assuming the role of CEO in May 2016.{{Cite news|url=https://chiefexecutive.net/ceo1000-edward-bastian-restructures-delta-into-the-winningest-airline/|title=Edward Bastian Restructures Delta Into The "Winningest" Airline|date=January 2, 2018|work=Chief Executive|access-date=December 17, 2018}} His move to CEO was the first time Delta had chosen a chief executive officer from within the company since 1987.{{Cite news|url=https://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/can-new-delta-ceo-ed-bastian-continue-the-airlines-success/|title=Can new Delta CEO Ed Bastian continue the airline's success?|last=Blau|first=Max|date=April 28, 2016|work=Atlanta|access-date=December 17, 2018}}
In 2008, Bastian was involved in Delta Air Lines’ acquisition of Northwest Airlines. He played a key role in completing the merger and overseeing the integration of the two companies.{{Cite web |title=Delta Air Lines, Inc. - Governance - Person Details |url=https://ir.delta.com/governance/person-details/default.aspx?ItemId=ebbc948f-8aa5-4994-bff5-9c004aaab4d0 |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=ir.delta.com}}
In 2019, Bastian was the only airline chief executive to skip a meeting at the White House between President Donald Trump and airline executives, justifying the decision by explaining that it conflicted with his international vacation.{{Cite web |last=Leff |first=Gary |title=Delta's CEO Explains Why He Skipped A Meeting With President Trump |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/garyleff/2019/08/01/deltas-ceo-explains-why-he-skipped-a-meeting-with-president-trump/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=Forbes |language=en}}
In 2023, Bastian's total compensation from Delta was $34.2 million, representing a CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio of 336-to-1.{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Mae |last2=Harloff |first2=Paul |last3=Ortutay |first3=Barbara |date=2024-06-03 |title=CEOs made nearly 200 times what their workers got paid last year |url=https://apnews.com/article/ceo-pay-compensation-ratio-workers-fa25db3338b68ad9eb395dfd46190383 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240903140837/https://apnews.com/article/ceo-pay-compensation-ratio-workers-fa25db3338b68ad9eb395dfd46190383 |archive-date=2024-09-03 |access-date=2024-09-04 |website=AP News |language=en}}
In 2024, Delta Air Lines went into a weeklong operational meltdown following the 2024 CrowdStrike incident while peer airlines quickly resumed normal operations.{{Cite web |last=Schlappig |first=Ben |date=2024-07-22 |title=Delta Has Operational Meltdown, Thousands Of Flights Cancelled |url=https://onemileatatime.com/news/delta-operational-meltdown-flights-cancelled/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=One Mile at a Time |language=en-US}} During and after the operational collapse, Bastian and Delta faced criticism for doing only the "bare minimum" for consumers and only after pressure from regulators and politicians while Bastian avoided interviews and attended the Olympics in Paris.{{Cite web |last=Schlappig |first=Ben |date=2024-07-24 |title=Delta Needs To Take Accountability For Meltdown, Drop The Hubris |url=https://onemileatatime.com/news/delta-accountability-meltdown-hubris/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=One Mile at a Time |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Leff |first=Gary |date=2024-07-24 |title=Where Was Ed? Delta CEO Fled To Europe During Airline Meltdown |url=https://viewfromthewing.com/where-was-ed-delta-ceo-fled-to-europe-during-airline-meltdown/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=View from the Wing |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Aten |first=Jason |date=July 28, 2024 |title=Delta CEO Ed Bastian Faces Intense Criticism for Heading to Paris Days After the Airline Canceled Thousands of Flights |url=https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/deltas-ceo-ed-bastian-faces-intense-criticism-for-heading-to-paris-days-after-airline-canceled-thousands-of-flights.html |work=Inc.}}{{Cite web |last=Leff |first=Gary |date=2024-07-24 |title=Where Was Ed? Delta CEO Fled To Europe During Airline Meltdown |url=https://viewfromthewing.com/where-was-ed-delta-ceo-fled-to-europe-during-airline-meltdown/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=View from the Wing |language=en-US}} The Association of Flight Attendants accused him of taking a “first class seat” to Paris instead of taking ownership of the massive meltdown.{{Cite web |last=Rosales |first=Chris Isidore, Isabel |date=2024-07-24 |title=Delta’s CEO went to Paris Olympics as his airline struggles to recover from massive meltdown |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/24/business/delta-ceo-paris-olympics/index.html |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=CNN |language=en}} Meanwhile, a commentator described Bastian's decision to fly to Paris at the height of the meltdown as "the most Marie Antoinette thing any business could do".{{Cite web |last=none |date=2024-07-29 |title=Delta spent years building a premium reputation. Then it had a meltdown |url=https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2024/07/29/business/delta-spent-years-building-a-premium-reputation-then-it-had-a-meltdown/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=West Hawaii Today |language=en-US}}
After Trump's re-election victory in the 2024 presidential election, Bastian said that Trump's presidency would be a "breath of fresh air" for airlines after the government “overreach” under President Joe Biden.{{Cite web |last=KOENIG |first=DAVID |date=2024-11-20 |title=Delta CEO says the Trump administration will reverse government 'overreach' seen under Biden |url=https://apnews.com/article/delta-airlines-trump-biden-regulation-c4393d5f763d95c8286d4069563032dc |website=AP News |language=en}} The Biden administration had implemented various consumer-protection regulations targeting airlines, such as automatic refunds after canceled flights and requirements that airlines to advertise the full price of fares upfront. Under Bastian's leadership, Delta sued the Biden administration for requiring greater transparency in the fees that airlines charged consumers.
In February 2025, a Delta Air Lines aircraft crashed at Toronto Pearson International Airport. In response, Bastian announced compensation of $30,000 for each passenger and coverage of medical expenses. Since becoming CEO in 2016, Bastian has emphasized premium services over low-cost strategies, with investments in upscale amenities and airport terminal improvements. In 2024, the airline distributed $1.4 billion through its profit-sharing program. Despite these initiatives, Delta continues to face challenges, including rising operational costs, increased competition in the premium travel market, and criticism from SkyMiles members following changes to the program’s benefits, as reported by Fortune.{{Cite web |last=Tully |first=Shawn |title=Ed Bastian turned Delta into America's most profitable airline, while giving employees billions along the way |url=https://fortune.com/2025/03/26/delta-airlines-ed-bastian-profit-sharing-employees/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250405151211/https://fortune.com/2025/03/26/delta-airlines-ed-bastian-profit-sharing-employees/ |archive-date=2025-04-05 |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Fortune |language=en}}
By April 2025, amid economic chaos due to President Trump's tariffs and trade wars, Bastian said that Trump had "the wrong approach."{{Cite web |last=Josephs |first=Leslie |date=2025-04-09 |title=Delta CEO says Trump tariffs are hurting bookings as airline pulls 2025 forecast |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/09/delta-air-lines-dal-1q-2025-earnings.html |website=CNBC |language=en}} In response to U.S. tariffs on European aircraft, Bastian announced that Delta would postpone the delivery of Airbus planes. The airline stated it would not absorb the additional costs imposed by the tariffs, which could increase the price of each aircraft by approximately 20%. Bastian described the tariffs as economically unsustainable.{{Cite web |last=Schlappig |first=Ben |date=2025-04-10 |title=Delta Plays Hardball, Refuses To Pay Tariffs On New Airbus Airplanes |url=https://onemileatatime.com/news/delta-tariffs-airbus-airplanes/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=One Mile at a Time |language=en-US}}
= Compensation =
In 2025, Delta Air Lines experienced several safety incidents, including multiple engine-related emergencies. Despite these issues and a 39% decline in shareholder value, Bastian received $34.2 million in total compensation for 2023, the highest among airline industry CEOs. His compensation package did not include metrics related to operational safety.{{Cite web |last=Riley |first=Kim |date=2025-04-21 |title=Delta crash, safety failures spark calls for CEO accountability amid soaring executive pay |url=https://financialregnews.com/delta-crash-safety-failures-spark-calls-for-ceo-accountability-amid-soaring-executive-pay/ |access-date=2025-05-07 |website=Financial Regulation News |language=en-US}}[https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0000027904/a99e8950-3620-4c56-9fc4-8b7cf36dea82.pdf 2025 Notice of Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement]. Delta Air Lines.
2024 Delta Air Lines disruption
{{Main|2024 Delta Air Lines disruption}}
{{Excerpt|2024 Delta Air Lines disruption}}Delta Air Lines reported a $500 million loss due to the system crash.{{Cite web |last=Isidore |first=Chris |date=2024-07-31 |title=Delta CEO lashes out at CrowdStrike: This cost us $500 million and they offered us nothing {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/31/business/delta-meltdown-costs/index.html |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=CNN |language=en}}
Bastian was criticized for his response to the crisis, particularly for traveling to Paris for the Olympics while the company was still addressing operational disruptions. The Association of Flight Attendants publicly objected to his decision, noting that he flew first class to Paris instead of staying in Atlanta to help manage the situation.{{Cite web |last=Rosales |first=Chris |last2=Isidore |first2=Isabel |date=2024-07-24 |title=Delta’s CEO went to Paris Olympics as his airline struggles to recover from massive meltdown {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/24/business/delta-ceo-paris-olympics/index.html |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=CNN |language=en}}
Controversies
In March 2025, a first-class passenger filed a lawsuit against Delta Air Lines alleging racial discrimination. The lawsuit claimed the passenger was removed from a flight after making eye contact with a white flight attendant. According to witness accounts, the attendant’s behavior was described as hostile and demeaning. The incident drew public criticism and renewed scrutiny of the airline’s handling of discrimination complaints.{{cn|date=June 2025}}
Delta Air Lines faced criticism in 2025 after its official social media account expressed sympathy for a post that inaccurately compared Palestinian flag pins worn by flight attendants to “Hamas badges.” Delta removed the post, provided counseling to the employee involved, and restricted approved uniform pins to only U.S. flags—a decision that was criticized by some groups as discriminatory.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-11 |title=Delta apologizes after official X account says 'I'd be terrified' of employees with Palestinian flag pins |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/delta-apologizes-official-x-account-says-d-terrified-employees-palesti-rcna161401 |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=NBC News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Elsamra |first=Mounira |date=2024-07-12 |title=Delta removes an employee, changes its uniform policy after backlash over social media post perceived to be anti-Palestinian |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/12/us/delta-employee-social-post-palestinian-reaj/index.html |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=CNN |language=en}}
Personal life
A father of 4,{{Cite news|url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/airport/things-know-about-delta-ceo-bastian/fJiR1xE49lSCTPpgyv5STO/|date=June 20, 2016|title=5 things to know about Delta CEO Ed Bastian|work=AJC.com|access-date=December 28, 2018}} he splits his time between Atlanta, where Delta Air Lines is headquartered, and Florida.{{Cite news|url=https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/local/2016/04/05/poughkeepsie-native-named-ceo-delta-air-lines/82653878/|title=Poughkeepsie native named CEO of Delta Air Lines|last=Purcell|first=Amanda J.|date=April 5, 2016|work=Poughkeepsie Journal|access-date=December 17, 2018}}
Awards and recognition
- In 2024, Georgia Trend named Bastian Georgian of the Year.{{Cite news|url=https://www.georgiatrend.com/2023/12/30/2024-georgian-of-the-year-ed-bastian-ceo-delta-air-lines-with-flying-colors/|title=2024 Georgian of the Year - Ed Bastian, CEO, Delta Air Lines
|date=December 30, 2023|work=Georgia Trend|access-date=January 3, 2025}}
- In 2023, Chief Executive named Bastian CEO of the Year.{{Cite news|url=https://chiefexecutive.net/deltas-ed-bastian-is-chief-executive-magazines-2023-ceo-of-the-year/|title=Delta’s Ed Bastian Is Chief Executive Magazine’s 2023 CEO Of The Year|date=May 1, 2023|work=Chief Executive|access-date=January 3, 2025}}
- In 2021, Bastian assumed the role of Chairman for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.{{Cite news|url=https://www.metroatlantachamber.com/about/news-press/newsroom/metro-atlanta-chamber-announces-2021-chair-and-launches-new-digital-tool-to-promote-the-region|title=Metro Atlanta Chamber Announces 2021 Chair And Launches New Digital Tool To Promote The Region|date=November 29, 2018|work=Metro Atlanta Chamber|access-date=December 17, 2018}}
- In 2018, Fortune named him to its annual World's 50 Greatest Leaders list.{{Cite news|url=http://fortune.com/longform/worlds-greatest-leaders-2018/|title=The World's 50 Greatest Leaders|date=April 19, 2018|work=Fortune|access-date=December 17, 2018}}
- On February 17, 2018, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and the Georgia Historical Society inducted Bastian to the Georgia Trustees, the highest honor an individual can receive from the state.{{Cite news|url=http://www.georgiatrend.com/February-2018/2018-Georgia-Trustees/|title=2018 Georgia Trustees|last=Simmons|first=Kenna|date=February 2018|work=Georgia Trend|access-date=December 16, 2018|last2=Percy|first2=Susan}}
- In 2017, he was recognized by Glassdoor as a Top CEO, based on employee reviews.{{Cite web|url=https://www.glassdoor.com/Award/Highest-Rated-CEOs-2017-LST_KQ0,23.htm|title=Highest Rated CEOs 2017|website=Glassdoor|access-date=December 6, 2018}}
- In 2017, Bastian was honored by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of Atlanta's Most Admired CEOs.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2017/07/31/q-a-with-ed-bastian-2017-most-admired-ceo.html|title=Q&A with Ed Bastian, 2017 Most Admired CEO|date=July 31, 2017|work=Atlanta Business Chronicle|access-date=December 17, 2018}}