Last week marked the end of a busy summer, following an extraordinarily challenging couple of years for the travel industry. As we look ahead to the fall, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your business and your continued loyalty to Delta. We appreciate the trust your travelers place in us every time they book a flight, and we work every day to strengthen that trust and support your business goals as your partner in travel.

Delta’s global team of 80,000 has been working hard to not only meet the gold standard we have set for our business, but to exceed it. We’ve taken many steps to improve our operation over the course of the summer. During the first two weeks of September, including the Labor Day holiday, Delta canceled just 25 Mainline flights out of 35,000 scheduled departures with an on-time arrival rate (A14) of 90% month-to-date.

We also achieved some significant milestones this summer on our journey to elevate the customer experience – both on the ground and in the air. We’ll never stop improving for you and looking for new ways to support you as a valued Delta Business partner.

If you’ve traveled recently through New York's LaGuardia airport, you’ve seen the Terminal C investments that we accelerated during the pandemic. Designed for optimal efficiency and speed – with thoughtful touches throughout – this facility joins other airport projects such as Los Angeles, Seattle and Salt Lake City that provide a more seamless experience for our business travelers.

In May, our newest aircraft, the Airbus A321neo, entered service. This state-of-the-art aircraft features a newly designed domestic First Class seat, which includes more privacy, workspace and storage. It also brings more sustainability to the skies, with 20% better fuel efficiency compared to our current A321ceos. We’re continuing the modernization of our fleet with a recent order for 100 Boeing 737-10 aircraft that will be 20%-30% more fuel efficient than the planes they will replace, and we’re also growing our fuel-efficient and customer friendly Airbus A220 fleet. 

On the technology front, we continue to invest and innovate to make your travelers' lives easier. We’re outfitting nearly all our domestic mainline aircraft with even faster-streaming Viasat Wi-Fi by the end of the year, helping business travelers stay connected and be more efficient on their flights. We’re also continuing to roll out Digital ID at our hub airports to help them move through the airport seamlessly from curb to gate. And, we’re continuously improving the powerful tools available to Delta Business customers, including digital Sky Club passes, complimentary medallion status tools and a new Sustainability On-Demand Dashboard.

All of these innovations are powered by Delta people, who remain focused on taking the very best care of all our customers and valued partners like you. We’ve accelerated our hiring and training efforts, bringing on 20,000 new employees since the start of 2021. That includes a record number of pilots, flight attendants, aircraft maintenance technicians, Reservations and Care specialists and more – all focused on delivering the world-class experience you expect from Delta.

As I look back at where we’ve been and ahead at where we’re going, your feedback remains critical to our success. We are constantly listening for ways to improve. If you would like to share your thoughts with us, please feel free to do so here or by contacting your Sales Account Executive.

Thank you for your partnership as we continue to keep climbing for you. See you in the skies.

Ed Bastian

CEO