A Message from Ed Bastian

Core to Delta’s culture is a philosophy of putting safety first—always. As more customers return to the skies, this relentless focus will continue. We’re investing in our people, equipment and aircraft to drive further improvements in flight and workplace safety metrics.

We’re also continuing to push for industry-wide solutions, like advocating for a national, comprehensive no-fly list of unruly passengers to mitigate the rise of in-flight misconduct. It’s important that Delta people and customers know I will always have their backs when it comes to safety.

That’s why we were quick to introduce robust health and safety measures and stand up new HR programs and resources for our people at the onset of the pandemic, and why we’ve invested more than $500 million in our pay protection, testing and vaccination efforts since that time.

This year we also celebrated the return of profit sharing, with a $100 million payout to celebrate a profitable second half of 2021—an accomplishment made possible by the hard work and resilience of our people. We decided long ago that Delta people should share in the success that they make possible, and that commitment will not waver.

Some of our specific areas of focus include: strengthening our pipeline to have stronger diversity and representation in our employee base, continuing to enhance the diversity of our Board of Directors, assessing for bias in our talent processes, pursuing equity, creating more opportunities for underrepresented people and increasing inclusion training. While we’ve made great progress in these areas already, the journey is ongoing.

We believe strongly that customers should not have to choose between seeing the world and saving the world. Travel and sustainability are not mutually exclusive. That’s why we’ve announced our intention to set science-based targets on our Flight to Net Zero and to reduce waste onboard our aircraft.

You’ll see this commitment to sustainability come to life in many ways, both onboard our aircraft and in our communities at large. In 2021, Delta made capital expenditures of approximately $3.2 billion, the majority of which went toward new aircraft that are, on average, 25% more fuel efficient per seat mile than retired aircraft, as well as terminal construction that includes enhancements to energy efficiency. In addition, 25% of our ground equipment is expected to be electric by the end of this year, increasing to 50% by 2025.

We’re also continuing to look for opportunities to form innovative partnerships and coalitions and to sign new sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) agreements.

To lead the charge on these important efforts, we’ve recently welcomed Pamela Fletcher to Delta as our new Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer—the airline industry’s only C-Suite level CSO. I look forward to working closely with Pam as we lead the industry to a sustainable future.

As the pandemic continued to reshape community engagement, Delta remained a leader in creating global change. In 2021, we were recognized as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the U.S. by Points of Light and as American Red Cross’ No. 1 corporate blood drive sponsor—both for the fourth year in a row.

While there are many challenges still ahead, we know there are even more opportunities. 2022 will be a pivotal year for Delta and for our world. For many, it will be an opportunity to reconnect with loved ones and visit places they’ve longed to see for many years. We can’t wait to welcome these customers back to the skies.

Whether you’re a customer, an investor, an employee or a community partner, I want to thank you for being part of this journey with us.