Amid the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back DEI initiatives across the federal government, many companies have dropped their diversity, equity and inclusion commitments, from Disney and Google to Amazon.
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, which is a federal contractor, is threading a needle: It’s promoting its DEI initiatives as merit-based “people initiatives” that are core to its business, which operates on six continents.
Delta, the most profitable airline in the U.S., has taken a leading role in DEI commitments and investments, particularly since 2020. CEO Ed Bastian told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an exclusive interview earlier this month that those initiatives are “people initiatives” and aren’t going anywhere.
The interview occurred during Delta’s annual event when it pays out profit-sharing to employees, days before the crash of a Delta Connection plane in Toronto operated by Delta subsidiary Endeavor Air. The Feb. 17 crash led to allegations that the Endeavor flight’s female first officer was not qualified for the job, which Delta has dispelled.
“As with any airline pilot, her flight experience exceeded the mandated minimum requirements set by U.S. Federal regulations,” Delta said last Thursday.