Ed raised over $400,000. 10. So work in process. We can criticize Bastians hypocrisy in the sense that he has been the leading voice on the ME3 issue and he doesnt show up to this meeting, but at the same time, Bastian correctly realizes that if he wants to get anything done to advance his misguided viewpoint, a meeting with Trump probably isnt going to be the best venue to do that. Its going to probably take us just as long in our industry, but weve got a good path to follow if we stay focused and work closely with our government partners and our customers around the world. Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. So thats all wrapped into the purpose. You can read Bastians full message here. No, Matthew. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel. Making time for family should win especially when it is one week long planned. Business reporter Kelly Yamanouchi covers airlines and the airport including Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, one of the world's largest carriers, and Hartsfield-Jackson, the world's busiest airport. WebEd Bastian is happily married. He drives a Tesla to work. Theres a lot of paperwork. Weve been relatively, I wouldnt say unaffected, but the numbers are really quite low for us. As it turns out it seems there were people who saw that Bastain was right, and upon his return the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Youre telling me that he bailed on this meeting? A lot of companies arent there. He ran his first marathon in 2014. Whoever Matthew is he has no understanding of family life when one has a high level professional life (as do I). This article was clearly written to drive views to your site. This meeting was clearly not in good faith, and even if it was, you cant trust anything Trump says past the point he leaves the room. A lot of its about using intelligence and taking the insight youre getting off of the planes and off of the engines and insights from others in terms of how to run a really clean and great operation. It was a tough two weeks on the cancellations front, but for the last ten days we havent had more than just a handful of cancellations a day, due to staffing or Omicron, out of over 4,000 operations that we fly. Based on your credentials and recent-enough graduation, I dont think youve had the experience of being locked in a contentious battle with someone, only to have them demand you be present when youre unavailable and declare victory or impose punishments. Hopefully really good news, hopefully soon here on that score, because we need to get an answer soon. What does CEO did was absolutely the right thing. In other words, how has Bastians absence from that meeting added to his costs (expensive vacation?) His compensation package included a tidy sum of $12.4 million $2.5 million more than his closest peer in mostly stock awards during the year. Drew Holt and Talli Gay scrambled for flights on other airlines to get everyone to South Carolina for their Friday wedding. You do the math, but it begs the question of where he finds the time or energy. Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. Were huge proponents of 5G. > Read More: Dense, Dimwitted Logic From A Deliberately Deceptive Delta CEO So I think those are some of the core capabilities that I brought to the airline. We need to update the technological backbone and the infrastructure of our country, without a doubt. Im sure his right hand could have dealt with it. We fly a noble mission in normal times, but in times of difficulty, its really important that you fulfill that mission honorably and with passion, and so it gives people a real purpose. 2. [1], Bastian grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York, the oldest of nine children. And we got their big award for that because of data analytics and the intelligence that our people have at their fingertips to make good decisions for people and provide great quality operations. The meeting topic was Qatar Airways and Air Italy, two carriers Bastian has decried for years. We have a whole team of almost 500 people that do just that for a living, every single day as theyre managing the flights and managing the pricing and the changes to make sure that were meeting the market where they want to buy the seats at, but at the same time, not overselling or underselling in managing that whole process. In terms of a spacious first class product, the @E, Nearly five years ago, I took a break from I, United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improv. Now for the CEO of AA?? He made the right decision. Six months later, Delta's then-CEO Jerry Grinstein asked him to come back as chief financial officer of the airline. I will fly Delta more often knowing he made the right decision and put family first. He wasnt going to be available for that meeting regardless. While it is true many children have the same dreams, Mr. Bastain was athletically inclined and could have made a serious run at making it in the big leagues. ED BASTIAN: Were very focused on data and analytics. ED BASTIAN: First and foremost, its always difficult to decide that. Why should Ed allowed to enjoy this in business class or not like other employees of the airline? And we are having those conversations to create commercial opportunities for the energy producers to invest in SAF and the airlines to make sure that were going to be good partners and purchase and procure those, because today the cost of buying one gallon of a sustainable aviation fuel is upwards of 5 times the cost of one gallon of jet fuel, and its not a commercial opportunity at the present stage. And people are now back to doing what they do best, which is taking care of travelers and getting them safely to their destinations. (Personally) I think he made the right choice here and I respect him for that. "I wasn't making an environmental statement or a new age statement. And so we probably had a better pulse on who was really coming down with Omicron than most other companies, certainly most other airlines. So its an issue for our government. The specific talking point is the wall being constructed along the U.S.-Mexico border. Actress and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Ali Bastian has shared the first photographs of her baby girl Isla Rose in HELLO! He said he believed a plan to cut jobs, salaries and benefits wasn't going to work and that the company needed to make the decision to file for bankruptcy protection. Family first. Perhaps his absence was a strategic ploy for a second meeting with the chief spokesperson at the table for the U.S. side. ED BASTIAN: Its been an interesting two years. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. As difficult a period that this industry has seen over the last two years, you would imagine employee engagement to actually take a nose-dive, that people would be pretty discouraged or put off or upset, and we have found just the opposite. We werent the only one, a number of companies did as well, because we saw the effect it was having within our team and within our people, and our people were looking up to us asking, After all weve been through over this last year, two years, and the challenges coming out after the George Floyd situation in the middle part of 2020, and the commitments that we made to continue to push forward and fight to ensure that everyone has equal access, everyone has equal opportunity, and do our very best to promote an equitable and diverse workplace, as well as community, how can we sit by and be silent? So that was a tough one, but youve got to be very, very careful in terms of which issues you choose. Certainly, finding a seat on an airline willing to get him where he needed to be would not have been a problem. Sorry you disagree Arun, but as someone who owns a company and is forced to travel often for in-person meetings, I cannot stress how important personal presence is. The colonial #architecture of #mumbai is stunning. One thing that we did, Adi, is throughout the pandemic weve encouraged testing. As for Delta, and while its pilots are unionized, flight attendants, mechanics and other support staff do not belong to a union. And it may not be the pandemic, it may be something else, but that feels like the era were in. We have seen time and time again how he will say one thing in a meeting and then completely change his mind once senior WH staff who actually care/have a viewpoint on the issue at large get in front of him themselves or by sneaking materials that push their agenda on the issue into his briefing documents or by going/getting someone to go on Fox News to do the same. Happy wife happy life. @chasgoose has the best comment and most sensible. The airplane is the cleanest place you can be. He has portrayed this as a huge concern over the years. Were there some that couldnt come back? This is from Oslo, and the question is, how do you engage with Delta Air Lines stakeholders to gather good ideas that can help the company revive the business, specifically coming out of the pandemic? Bastian took some some heat (and not just from me) for refusing to modify his travel plans to meet with President Trump and other airline CEOs in the White House. But as Gary Leff (in his new Forbes column) reports, Bastian has now clarified the issue. Doing the things primarily out of staying out of the news is pure cowardice. It hit us hard. What Do I Do If Someone Stole My Social Security Number To Get a Job? The company uses a BCI-based approach in its products and services. And theres been such a great spirit about it. A father of 4, he splits his time between Atlanta, where Delta Air Lines is headquartered, and Florida. This man has himself defined the issue that the meeting was to address as a critical issue that represents an existential threat for the business he runs, and after literally years of shrieking and whining about this issue and millions spent lobbying the current administration he decided to miss an absolutely essential meeting on the topic at the White House. I am not a Delta fan or Ed-apoloigist. If h wants to be CEO. But after that, your period of isolation requirements really drop immensely. He spent a cool $71,000 for his Tesla, in large part because it is U.S. built, incorporates U.S. technology, and is the result of U.S. innovation. I know that you are still encouraging or requiring passengers to wear masks. My dad & I spent months choreographing this dance and putting songs together that we love to dance to! Currently, the exact extent of the climate change remains unknown, not least because there is still much that remains to be uncovered in the field of climate science. Keep in mind we just pointed out her runs marathons, but we didnt mention his age 58. jobs for Delta are going because its not in America, they have had plenty of layoffs in the last few years with jobs going overseas. Edward Herman Bastian (born June 6, 1957) is an American business executive. ADI IGNATIUS: We also talk a lot on the show about the extent to which businesses, CEOs, can be involved or need to be involved in social issues and health issues. Need more examples set like this. Weve made a commitment as a company that by the end of the decade, a full 10% of our flying will be done using sustainable aviation fuels. Of course he has the right to take a vacation with his family, but having made his choice in this case he has certainly lost the right to keep banging the drum about this issue. About 20,000 people took the opportunity to retire in the latter part of 2020, so we needed to supplement our team, and weve been hiring all across the board, from pilots to flight attendants to technologists to aircraft mechanics to reservationists, airport workers, you name it. Its not as if its deterring travel, people are ready to travel. For several days, Delta refused to comment further on the CEOs absence beyond stating that he was traveling. And were excited when we all came back last June, to be together, and we see real strength in that collaboration. I dont understand how serious an issue this is. WebEd Bastian is married. Ed Bastians daughter Brittany Bastian got married to Nathan Gannon in August 2020 A Deep Dive with Ed Bastian | Detroit Economic Club. Working his way up to the position of Senior Vice President at Delta back in 2000, he and the company were facing very difficult financial times. Good for Ed. Ed Bastians daughter Brittany Bastian got married to Nathan Gannon in August 2020 in a wedding ceremony held in Georgia. A man who takes a little vacation time, and gets villified for it, compared to the CEO of the country who seems to always be somewhere in New Jersey or Florida playing golf. Really, you are giving the guy a hard time for going on a planned family vacation. He left Delta and came back. If youre a subscriber, you can sign up here. Not just for the airlines, but also for the express package carriers and the UPSs and the FedExs of the world that are also using those airways. ADI IGNATIUS: Because what you do is so visible, we all feel we know the brand. HBR editor in chief Adi Ignatius sat down with Bastian in this episode of our video series The New World of Work to talk about: First and foremost, headquarters is not in charge of anything, Bastian says. I think you lost your audience when you compared refusing to bend to what amounts to little more than a power-play and authoritarian behavior to you choosing to fly economy instead of business on a 16 hour flights. And the other thing that I was worried about, personally, people wouldnt even test to find out if they had it at that point, if they realized, Im going to miss the holidays. It really needs to be a support center to the people out in the business that are making it happen out in the field. He chickened out when he found out his nemesis would be there, and now hes trying to appear all self righteous. Say what you will about Trump, but his word means nothing, and being present would have just been embarrassing for Bastian as it was for his counterparts at UA and AA. Shane on you! As we operate a very, very complex and sophisticated scale company on a global basis, 24/7. The pandemic chose us and our company has never needed us more. I wouldnt cross the street to meet Donald Trump, no matter the meeting agenda. Be honest in your writing and you wont take so much criticism. Yes, we were sensitive to that if people had some unique situations. Ed has been talking about saving american jobs since he became the Delta CEO literally putting up constant messages to employees and asking them to write their congressman and sign petitions. How are we going to get through this and what its going to take to ensure that we bring our people with us. I took a 4 week Eupope vacation recently. But if hes like most of his peers, Im guessing that isnt normally an excuse. Gays father, a retired world champion rodeo cowboy, is a hobbyist pilot. I know Delta was one of the signatories in a letter to the White House that said this could potentially wreak havoc on the flight control systems. I think I gave him the benefit of the doubt while just noting the ramifications of his choice. He told them that if Deltas New York City operations became profitable he would run in the New York City Marathon. And the majority of our people were very happy to be back. And we still, to this day, we have a lot of questions that we dont have the answers for, but people respect the fact that were honest with them. I cannot believe this many business travelers cannot see this. Coupled with the fact of demand: customers tell you theyre ready to go. Very disappointed by this article. He shouldnt be allowed to take even a day off until he can get his company in a full, upright position again!! He made this decision knowing how thin-skinned Trump is, and he could not have been unaware of how badly it would go down with Trump if the central figure in the US big-three lobbying efforts failed to turn up. Perhaps they went to a nice hotel or home whose reservation could not easily be moved. Thats for sure. The question is do we Live to work or work to live. I ask them to do a lot of things. Do a weeek later. The question I have is about impact. I have heaed about that meeting and have also heard that Bastian had missed it. Do you understand how the Trump administration has been playing heads of state and heads of companies for the last two years? What has it been like to try to guide a business through all this? I just made the decision to fly 16 hours in economy class, consistently maintained represents an existential threat, Dense, Dimwitted Logic From A Deliberately Deceptive Delta CEO, Fascinating New York Times Interview With Delta CEO Ed Bastian, I Chose 16 Hours In United Economy Class, United Eliminates The Mystery Of First Class Meal Priority. You must have a workforce that has differing views on it, how do you make this make sense: that we really need to be together? This is a recent athletic pursuit by Mr. Bastain, having put his running shoes on only a few years ago back in 2014. 1. As you mentioned, were a very visible industry. I dont know how widespread it is, but we all see videos of air personnel being abused by patients who arent happy with mask requirements or whatever. If trump is so damn good at dealing things they why need Ed. [10] A father of 4,[11] he splits his time between Atlanta, where Delta Air Lines is headquartered, and Florida.[12]. It gets me in the HOV lane all the way down." Do something for them or the country. Could you clarify what your concerns are? Now..doing it showing the world that he is in control and knows what it truly important..that is showing brass ones and dubbing the President to boot..thats a fatherly and Manly ( not dissing women here) . However, there is a new futuristic pill that is described as robotic that doesnt have any of these features and it, Read More New Robot Pill Pierces Intestine Walls to Deliver DrugsContinue, BrainQ is an Israeli startup that provides a platform for healthcare providers to deliver precision neurology therapies in the treatment of brain impairments. ADI IGNATIUS: I know youve made it clear that climate change is an issue of importance to you personally. Support with the government, the government support back, and ensuring that were tackling this huge challenge together with the best minds and the best science guiding the path. My assumption when I read the headline was that it was either too expensive to change his plans, or an expensive result happened due to not changing his plans (such as damage to reputation. I just hope he has the same attitude when other employees say no due to family obligations. Im not going to impugn the motives of Delta CEO Ed Bastian. But there is simply no denying how incredibly costly his recent family vacation turned out to be. Bastian took some some heat ( and not just from me) for refusing to modify his travel plans to meet with President Trump and other airline CEOs in the White House. They needed to show up and perform their responsibilities, taking care of our customers, and taking care of our airplanes, and making certain that the world keeps moving. He said he was "vocal internally and left," and took a job as chief financial officer for Acuity Brands. Ed Bastian has been CEO of Delta Air Lines for nearly eight weeks after stepping into the role May 2, elevating his profile in the airline industry and in the business community in metro Atlanta. And its been a topic of conversation ongoing. Our brand is strong. ADI IGNATIUS: One more audience question. When you werent quite sure what exactly you need, or what youre going to find when you show up. I've got to keep working hard for her.". [2] He graduated from Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Poughkeepsie in 1975. He should be commended for putting his family first in this instance. Some things have to take priority. So please quatar and Emirates have been over stepping their bundaries. But he doesnt have unlimited timetime once again becomes a precious commodity. Personally I think its clear this vacation was just an excuse. Family and down time is critically important for everyone. ED BASTIAN: Well, it created, I think probably, a comfort with numbers, with analytics, a curiosity about how to influence and impact and have better outcomes using the core information system. All the restrictions went back up again. And maybe some of your competitors feel less strongly about that. It was fairly easy to read the article and determine it was the latter. Obama deported more people than Trump. Through Rally, Bastian got to know Rally Kid Grace, an inspiring high school freshman and Paralympic athlete, who was battling And more importantly, that airlines, hospital workers, firemen, police, people that are providing essential services that we need, particularly during a holiday season, to keep our society moving, its time we thought to update the guidance. I only use a single email and people know it, and so I get probably thousands of emails a day of all varieties of something that had happened that went wrong, of something that went great, and please thank that employee, of ideas and opportunities. UGAs Jalen Carter charged with reckless driving and street racing, Deltas rising CEO inherits big profits, big issues, Deltas next man up aims for upside, New Delta CEOs goal: keep company fresh, UGA star Jalen Carter present at scene of fatal crash, Breaking: UGAs Jalen Carter charged with reckless driving and street racing, Kemp administration deals blow to Buckhead cityhood push, Former Atlanta fire chief says God brought slaves to America to save them, Georgia Senate panel passes bill to expand ability to challenge voters. Its never more important to be visible and let people know what you know and what you dont know. Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord. And Secretary Buttigieg and others. Ed Bastian demonstraits true leadership traits in everything he does for the Delta family, unlike many other US Airline CEOs. "I've got a 12-year-old, our youngest, so she's got designs on college and everything. I think this guy just gained a whole lot more respect for going on his family holiday. As the firstborn of 9, he learned to manage people early in life. Awards and recognition. the higher position you take you know its not easy street but its also helps to provide for your family better. As a result of that, we took a pretty big hit, because we saw it happen within our own workforce very, very quickly. We are aware of your feelings about UA and DL so please be 5. 5. Bastian joined Delta in 1998 as vice president of finance and controller, was promoted to senior vice president in 2000, and departed in 2004 over strategic differences. ED BASTIAN: One of the most important things Ive already mentioned is about communications, about staying very, very close to your team, to your people, to being authentic, to being transparent. "I'm young at heart," Bastian said earlier this year shortly after being named to the CEO position. American business executive and Delta Air Lines CEO, "St. Bonaventure grad to take over for Delta Air Lines CEO Anderson as he retires", "Edward Bastian Restructures Delta Into The "Winningest" Airline", "Ed Bastian to Succeed Richard Anderson as Chief Executive Officer of Delta Air Lines", "Can new Delta CEO Ed Bastian continue the airline's success? And when you join an airline, youre really signing up to be a citizen of the globe and being part of what it takes to keep the world moving together. So I dont think theres really a reason why we would need to check vaccinations in order to fly domestically. He spent