Delta CEO says testing, vaccinations are ‘the answer’ as industry eyes pandemic recovery
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Delta Air Lines sees the path for a return to travel coming in the form of a mass vaccination rollout and a focus on long-term growth and planning.
In an interview at ITB Berlin, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said he supports the U.S. government’s move to require testing or vaccination — rather than quarantine — for a return to international travel.
“Tests and vaccinations are the answer, not quarantine,” Bastian said. “Vaccination will be the ultimate form of entry into international markets.”
Sign up to receive the free bi-weekly aviation newsletter for more industry insight!
However, that reentry into international markets may still be a way off. Bastian said that widespread international travel demand is still at least a year away.
In the interim, Delta is focusing primarily on domestic U.S. flying — and more specifically, where customers want to go. The airline has revamped its route map for domestic recovery to focus on leisure travelers, rather than where business flyers need to go.
Related: 5 takeaways from Delta’s CEO on the future of travel
“Customers are anxious to go to sun destinations, whether it’s in Florida or Arizona,” Bastian said. He also noted that some winter ski destinations, such as those in Colorado, are booming. “We’re not optimized for business travel right now.”
Bastian said that Delta’s hub at Salt Lake City (SLC) is close to pre-COVID-19 capacity levels, and South Florida is close as well.
Meanwhile, Delta’s coastal cities, such as Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York, have been much behind in that domestic recovery, as business travelers largely remained at home.
In the long-term, Delta is planning on the evolution of its business, including adapting its fleet and how it works with its partner airlines.
“Long-term, we’re going to get back to what we looked like before, but it will be different,” Bastian said. “We’ve changed so much — boarding planes, cleaning planes and how we clean on board our aircraft.”
Delta has committed to blocking middle seats through at least April, and Bastian said the carrier will make a decision on whether or not to extend that policy as spring approaches.
Elsewhere Delta has changed, in the past year, the airline has retired more than 200 aircraft — including its MD88s, MD90s, some 717s and long-haul 777s. It’s focusing on the Airbus A350 as its long-haul international flagship product, though Delta has begun conversations with Airbus and Boeing to come up with “good alternatives” to the medium-range Boeing 757s and 767s in its fleet.
Related: Why is Delta disclosing Boeing 717, 767 retirement plans 5 years in advance?
Looking forward, Bastian sees the return to international travel as an important factor — and one that it’s going to continue to emphasize with its partner airlines such as LATAM and Virgin Atlantic. Bastian said that Delta will continue to support those airlines and offer them strategic advice.
But for Delta itself, the carrier’s long-term growth strategy is international, not domestic, and it continues to see itself in a strong position to serve that market.
“We’ll get through this pandemic,” Bastian said. “It’s impacted us. It’s changed us. But we’ll get through it.”
Featured photo by NurPhoto/Getty Images.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
WELCOME OFFER: 80,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION*: $1,650
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus earn up to $50 in statement credits towards grocery store purchases within your first year of account opening.
- Earn 2X points on dining including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel. Plus, earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
- With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories.
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership through 12/31/2021, and get full access to their workout library through the Peloton app, including cardio, running, strength, yoga, and more. Take classes using a phone, tablet, or TV. No fitness equipment is required.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.