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Home » Delta Air Lines » Why Delta CEO Skipped White House Meeting…Again
Delta Air Lines

Why Delta CEO Skipped White House Meeting…Again

Matthew Klint Posted onMarch 5, 2020November 14, 2023 16 Comments

a man in a suit and tie

Delta CEO Ed Bastian ruffled feathers by missing a White House meeting with President Donald Trump last July. Yesterday, airline CEOs again convened at the White House. Yesterday, Bastian was again missing. This time, though, no one is questioning his motives.

Airline Executives Meet At White House

Airline executives gathered at the White House yesterday to meet with Vice President Mike Pence to discuss coronavirus, contentment efforts, and its effects on the airline industry. Trump, who once had his own airline and is loves to dabble with CEOs, also attended the meeting.

In attendance:

  • Brad Tilden – Alaska Airlines CEO
  • Doug Parker – American Airlines CEO
  • Robin Hayes –  JetBlue CEO
  • Gary Kelly – Southwest Airlines CEO
  • Oscar Munoz – United Airlines CEO

Trump tried to downplay the overall negative impact of COVID-19, while noting how difficult it would be for airlines, stating:

“It’s affecting the airline business, as it would. And a lot of people are staying in our country and they’re shopping and using our hotels in this country, so from that standpoint I think probably there’s a positive impact, but there’s also an impact on overseas travel which will be fairly substantial.”

Trump later told reporters that airlines CEOs did not ask for any financial assistance during the meeting.

Why Delta CEO Missed White House Meeting

Bastian took some some heat for refusing to modify his travel plans to meet with President Trump and other airline CEOs in the White House last July. The meeting topic was Qatar Airways and Air Italy, two carriers Bastian decried for years.

But when he finally had the chance to address the issue with the U.S. President and confront the CEO of Qatar Airways, he was a no show, blaming a long-planed family vacation.

Once again, Bastian was a no-show. A Delta spokesperson shared that Bastian could not attend Wednesday’s meeting because he was attending the funeral of his mother, who passed away last week.

*silence*

Stay strong, Ed. I’m sorry for your loss.

CONCLUSION

Other than talking out issues, it is not clear any progress was made during yesterday’s meeting. Thus far, airlines have not asked for government assistance, financial or otherwise. Once again, Bastian missed this meeting, but no one is questioning his motives this time.

Or was he just not invited in the first place?

> Read More: A Costly Family Vacation For Delta CEO
> Read More: Did Delta CEO Chicken Out Of White House Meeting?

image: Delta

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. 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.

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16 Comments

  1. Gary Leff Reply
    March 5, 2020 at 8:54 am

    But why didn’t Delta President Glen Hauenstein go in his place?

    Same question I asked when I broke the news that his pre-scheduled travel was a family vacation.

    This isn’t the full story.

    • Matthew Reply
      March 5, 2020 at 9:00 am

      You did, and I noted that in my prior post.

      But why do you think Delta is boycotting White House meetings? Is there something personal between Trump and Delta?

      • Gary Leff Reply
        March 5, 2020 at 9:29 am

        Do we know that Delta was invited this time? They clearly boycotted the last one and it offended the President.

        • YoniPDX Reply
          March 5, 2020 at 10:02 am

          I think the bigger question is: should COVID19 linger, does Ed Bastion have a preference on how his crow is prepared.

          But I do think it was a huge misstep not to send the next most senior subordinate at Delta.

          • Gregory Johnson
            March 6, 2020 at 2:46 pm

            I’d do anything I could to offend trump.

  2. JohnC Reply
    March 5, 2020 at 9:43 am

    “white noting how difficult it would be for airlines…” Did you mean “while noting how difficult it would be for airlines..”

  3. debit Reply
    March 5, 2020 at 9:53 am

    “Trump denies official coronavirus death rate based on his ‘hunch’ and suggests people with deadly virus can go to work; President suggests hundreds of thousands could recover from potentially fatal virus ‘just by sitting around'”

    The loudmouth should self infect with the virus and test his theory.

    • Matthew Reply
      March 5, 2020 at 10:03 am

      I see you read the Daily Mail as well. Good stuff.

    • UA-NYC Reply
      March 5, 2020 at 11:03 am

      He truly is a stupid imbecile…just a real lack of intelligence that never ceases to “amaze”

      • Valerie Cannady Reply
        March 16, 2020 at 11:07 am

        Most executives receive a bonus. Why is it a factor that Delta distributed yo everyone instead of only members at the executive level. That should not be a factor in your review/opinion.

  4. Robert Reply
    March 5, 2020 at 12:11 pm

    These meetings are silly. Is Trump going to meet with US based hoteliers to address the problem? Stick to the lobby and quit wasting everyone’s time with meetings like these.

  5. W Ho Reply
    March 5, 2020 at 3:19 pm

    “contentment efforts“ ?

  6. r m h Reply
    March 5, 2020 at 10:10 pm

    how long was the ~~~plane~~~?

    ” But when he finally had the chance to address the issue with the U.S. President and confront the CEO of Qatar Airways, he was a no show, blaming a long ~~~planed~~~ family vacation.”

  7. Hk Reply
    March 6, 2020 at 11:15 pm

    Contentment efforts??

  8. Gene Reply
    March 19, 2020 at 8:22 am

    @ Matthew — Delta is very wise to stay out of the photo-op politics, especially with the divisive President we have in office today.

  9. Pingback: LAX Employee Contracts Coronavirus. Plus, Go See Movies at a Vegas "Dive-In" Theatre! - Renés Points

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