Delta CEO slams ‘inexcusable’ shutdown that led to canceled flights and workers doing high-stress jobs without pay

Bastian, who leads the first U.S. airline to reach the 100th year milestone, described the shutdown as “very disruptive” for Delta’s business and “incredibly disruptive for our customers.” He stressed that the problems began when the government made an arbitrary reduction in the system’s flying capacity “with no notice,” leaving the airline unable to reroute customers or adequately avoid delays.

“The reality is that there was stress, there was strain, it was completely unnecessary,” Bastian stated. He lamented that the aviation industry, its personnel, and its customers had to “bear the brunt of the dysfunction” because elected leaders could not reach an agreement.

The CEO was particularly forceful in condemning the treatment of federal employees, noting that air traffic controllers and security agents were working unpaid “for almost a month-and-a-half.” He stated that while he understands political disagreements exist, “it should not come at the cost of asking people to work, particularly in high-stress, incredibly sensitive areas, without pay, for weeks on end, that’s inexcusable.”

Bastian called on government officials to “do your job,” asserting that airlines “can’t do business like that” and require more certainty and leadership from Washington. The unpredictable nature of the shutdown was especially frustrating given Delta’s strong financial performance, having achieved “record revenues this year,” only to face a crisis that came “completely out of your control but out of nowhere.”

Outdated systems

Beyond immediate delays, the record-setting shutdown exposed deeper vulnerabilities in the nation’s air travel infrastructure, including a shortage of critical personnel and the antiquated technology governing U.S. airspace. While reassuring the public that air travel remains “absolutely safe, the safest form of transportation period,” Bastian pointed out that the current air traffic control systems, developed decades ago, are “very manual.” This outdated technology means that safety is maintained by slowing the system down, as many travelers learned to their displeasure.

Despite the challenges, Bastian noted that the airline anticipates being “fully upflying very very soon.” However, he cautioned against the misconception that recovery is instantaneous. “There’s no flipping the switch” to return to normal operations, as the airline must take several days to get crews back on schedule after flights were pulled in advance.

Bastian concluded by reiterating the hope that there won’t be a “next time” with this type of crisis, but if it does occur, he anticipates finding a better solution than forcing the consequences onto the traveling public and aviation workers. As Delta looks ahead, the CEO emphasized the need for consistent government support to fund the infrastructure investments needed to modernize the skies.

For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.