Delta rolls out special Airbus A321 livery to thank employees at profit-sharing event
"Valentine's Day to us now is not red, it's green, because it's profit sharing day."
That was the message Delta Air Lines' CEO Ed Bastian delivered to employees Friday outside the company's Atlanta headquarters Friday.
About 900 employees from across the airline filled a hangar at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), and cheered as executives praised their hard work and announced that they should see a sizable boost in their bank accounts heading into the weekend.
The airline has distributed shares of its profits to employees since 2010. For the last six years, the annual disbursements have each been a billion dollars or more.
Sign up for the free daily TPG newsletter for more airline news.
On Friday, Delta distributed $1.6 billion among its 90,000 employees. For most employees, that represents about two months of pay.
Also in the hangar Friday was an Airbus A321, partly hidden behind white sheets. After the executives' speeches and a short video presentation, the plane became the star of the show when TechOps employees pressed a button to drop the sheets, revealing giant red letters that spelled out "thank you" on the sides of the aircraft.
Related:5 things I’ll never forget after touring Delta’s TechOps wonderland
Delta's TechOps took about a week to affix the decals to the A321, and the letters contain the names of every Delta employee. The plane was scheduled to return to service shortly after the event. Delta said the special livery is expected to fly on the aircraft for the next year.
On the airline's internal website, employees can get instructions on how to find their names on the plane.
The aircraft also has a thank you message to customers, because "it's the customers who are paying the profit sharing," Bastian said.
Profit sharing has become a common practice across the aviation industry as airlines have returned to profitability in the last decade. Most major U.S. carriers now give their employees such bonuses. Delta, however, stands out for routinely topping the pack when it comes to the size of its profit sharing pot. For comparison, Southwest is distributing $667 million, United $491 million and American $213 million in profit sharing this year.
The Association of Flight Attendants, which is conducting a unionization drive at Delta, pegged a demonstration of its own to the airline's profit sharing disbursement.
The union is distributing candy hearts that say "like it?" and "lock it in" to Delta flight attendants Friday.
“Profit sharing is an industry standard because it is a union negotiated contractual benefit across every major airline, including Delta pilots," Sara Nelson, the head of the union said in a statement. "The only way to lock in current benefits is to organize for the union."
It's unclear, though, if there's enough appetite to organize at Delta. Previous efforts to unionize attendants there have failed.
Related: The 10 longest (and 10 shortest) Delta Air Lines flights
Top offers from our partners
How we chose these cards
TPG featured card
Rewards
4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. |
4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). |
3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There's a lot to love about the Amex Gold card. It's been a fan favorite during the pandemic because of its fantastic rewards rate on restaurants (that includes takeout and delivery in the U.S.!) and U.S. supermarkets. If you're hitting the skies soon, you'll also earn bonus points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders) and up to $120 in annual dining statement credits at eligible partners, there's no reason that the foodie shouldn't add this card to their wallet. Enrollment required.Pros
- 4x on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1x)
- 3x on flights booked directly with the airline or with Amex Travel
- Welcome bonus of 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first six months
Cons
- Weak on travel outside of flights and everyday spending bonus categories
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber/food credits
- Few travel perks and protections
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
- Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $250.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Rewards Rate
4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. |
4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). |
3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. |
Intro Offer
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.60,000 bonus pointsAnnual Fee
$250Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Excellent/Good
Why We Chose It
There's a lot to love about the Amex Gold card. It's been a fan favorite during the pandemic because of its fantastic rewards rate on restaurants (that includes takeout and delivery in the U.S.!) and U.S. supermarkets. If you're hitting the skies soon, you'll also earn bonus points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders) and up to $120 in annual dining statement credits at eligible partners, there's no reason that the foodie shouldn't add this card to their wallet. Enrollment required.Pros
- 4x on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1x)
- 3x on flights booked directly with the airline or with Amex Travel
- Welcome bonus of 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first six months
Cons
- Weak on travel outside of flights and everyday spending bonus categories
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber/food credits
- Few travel perks and protections
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
- Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $250.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees