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Inside an airplane cabin, a passenger wearing a black-and-white checkered shirt rests in a blue leather window seat with eyes closed, head on a white pillow and legs covered with a blue blanket, as daylight comes through the window
Inside an airplane cabin, a passenger wearing a black-and-white checkered shirt rests in a blue leather window seat with eyes closed, head on a white pillow and legs covered with a blue blanket, as daylight comes through the window

Safety in Flight

Delta has long been a key contributor to U.S. and global commercial aviation safety. After years of active participation in the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST), it is Delta’s honor to now serve as the Industry Co-Chair of the U.S. Aviation Safety Team (USAST). In this role, Delta helps lead efforts alongside safety leaders throughout the industry, promoting a collaborative, data-driven approach to sharing insights that have contributed toward a proactive system of identifying and mitigating safety risks.

Delta’s safety leadership extends across the global aviation community. As one of the first U.S. airlines to receive FAA validation for its Safety Management System (SMS) in 2017, Delta continues to build a strong, proactive safety culture rooted in transparency and continuous improvement. We are a signatory of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Safety Leadership Charter, and our leaders hold the chair position within the IATA Safety Group (SG), and member positions of other working groups in in-flight, ground operations and emergency management, partnering with carriers, regulators and air traffic organizations to mitigate risk. Delta also contributes to committees within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF), reinforcing our role in shaping global safety standards.

Delta also works closely with our affiliate carriers to advance in-flight safety. Among the myriad of ways we collaborate with our partners, we participate in their Safety Risk Management activity as appropriate. We review their top risks and mitigations and continuously monitor safety metrics, including risks related to heat injury and illness prevention, for our Delta Connection operators. Delta personnel also support and participate in partner safety days and forums.

Delta maintains a robust safety-reporting process, where all employees can voluntarily report safety hazards and concerns through a process called the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP). In 2025, Delta pilots submitted over 25,000 of these reports. In addition, Delta monitors safety indicators through Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) Program aircraft flight data monitoring. In partnership with the Air Line Pilots Association, both programs bring information that teams across Delta use to reduce risk. One key risk-reduction tool is the use of FlightPulse. This application, available to all Delta pilots, allows for pilots to review their past flights using FOQA data, and includes a pre-flight tool that allows the pilots to look at recent trends, historical flight paths and fuel information for their upcoming flights.

In 2025, we built on our SMS by introducing a “Seated by 10K” policy for flight attendants, to reduce the risk of turbulence injuries, and we updated our Flight Path Management (FPM) systems to enhance our criteria for a stabilized approach to the runway and usage of autopilot. Delta also launched Safety Spotlights, a magazine providing flight crews with comprehensive coverage of trending safety topics such as smoke and fume (SnF) events and evacuations.

Our cross-divisional working groups, including executive leadership and Delta Connection partners, establish targeted initiatives and controls to mitigate key risks, including SnF in the cabin and thermal incidents related to power banks and lithium batteries. In 2025, we partnered with aircraft manufacturers to design engine and power unit components that mitigate SnF risks.

Emergency Response

Delta is committed to running the safest operation possible. Our people and our operating partners are empowered to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of themselves, their colleagues and our customers at all times. Despite all measures and preparations, accidents may still happen. Our goal is for them to be rare and their consequences as minimal as possible.

In February 2025, Delta Connection flight 4819, operated by Endeavor Air, was involved in a single-aircraft accident at Toronto Pearson International Airport. All customers and crew safely evacuated the aircraft. Delta and Endeavor incident response teams, including specially trained Delta Care Team representatives, were immediately deployed to support customers, employees and their loved ones and to ensure full cooperation with investigators.

Being Prepared for In-Flight Medical Events

Our flight attendants are not only experts in providing elevated service to our customers but are also trained safety professionals who, when necessary, can respond to emergency situations, such as an in-flight medical event. Delta flight crews use technology including SkyPro mobile devices to communicate with doctors on the ground, to support appropriate care during a medical emergency.