From one of the largest bankruptcies in U.S. history to leading the industry in market capitalization and premium customer satisfaction, Delta Air Lines has rewritten the business of flying in the last two decades. 

In this episode, Fortune's Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell sits down with CEO Ed Bastian at Delta’s Atlanta headquarters to discuss the strategic maneuvers behind the airline’s resurgence. Bastian details his 'people-first' leadership philosophy, the evolution of the lucrative American Express partnership, and his vision for the future of travel, from AI-powered concierge services to the launch of flying taxis.

00:00 Intro

01:36 Advertisement

03:05 Bastian’s personal background

04:21 Executive training at Pepsi

06:14 Uncovering fraud at J. Walter Thompson

07:23 Delta files for bankruptcy

8:08 Bastian’s return to Delta

09:43 Delta’s turnaround playbook

11:37 Delta’s post-bankruptcy restructuring

13:55 Billion-dollar profit-sharing program

15:36 Sharing wealth with employees

16:21 Bastian’s people-first commitment

16:48 Becoming a CEO

17:45 Transitioning from CFO to CEO

19:04 Becoming comfortable as a CEO

19:45 Shifting communication styles as CEO

21:40 Staying in the know

22:13 Leading employees through down times

24:32 Bastian’s no-furlough strategy

26:06 Delta / AMEX partnership

29:14 Credit card interest rates

30:25 Creating brand trust and loyalty

33:39 Delta’s next 100 years

34:14 Balancing AI with people

36:56 Staying updated on AI

38:13 AI’s impact on air travel

39:15 Sustainable travel

40:08 Flying taxis

40:57 Delta’s five-to-ten year strategy

42:04 Bastian’s leadership advice

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aflevering-ID: 1000758613179

GUID: 4069284a-2d46-11f1-a3c7-2f12c3b1821a

Releasedatum: 1-4-2026 10:30:00