Delta CEO says he'd fly on the Boeing 737 MAX once it's back in the air
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said he would fly on Boeing's troubled 737 MAX once it returns to service. Delta has not ordered the MAX, but Bastian made his comments about the plane when asked about the subject during a Friday interview on network television.
"Obviously it needs to continue to go through the certification process," Bastian said on CBS This Morning. He added he'll have no doubt about the airplane's safety "once the regulators get comfortable with it."
While there are no 737 MAXes in Delta's fleet, the airline has seen a profit boost from "spillover demand" as some of its competitors that do fly the MAX have had to trim their schedules. But, Bastian pointed out, Delta is one of the world's largest operators of Boeing aircraft, and he said he's confident the company builds safe, reliable airplanes.
"Boeing is an amazing company," he told CBS. "We're the second-largest operator of Boeing equipment in the world. We fly over 600 Boeing aircraft. There's no question that this is going to bring up opportunities to improve safety and learn more as we go forth. But transportation in the U.S., particularly air travel, is the safest of any transportation system in the world."
Bastian's comments on Friday mirror others he's previously made on the subject, including in a May interview with CNBC when he also said then that he'd fly on the jet once it returned to service.
The global 737 MAX fleet remains grounded following two accidents that left 346 people dead. An automated flight control system is suspected of contributing to both disasters, and Boeing and regulators have been working on a fix since March. Some airlines will have their MAX fleets grounded for almost a year if the current projections for the planes' return to service hold.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.