Source: Delta
- As leaders fanned out across the airline’s hubs to celebrate Delta people, a key highlight for the day was the special profit-sharing payment announced as part of its 2021 financial results in January.
Monday is Employee Appreciation Day at Delta – appropriately held on Valentine’s Day as Delta leaders fanned out across the airline’s hubs to show some extra love to employees for their resilient spirit through another year defined by the uncertainty of a global pandemic.
A key highlight of the day for award-winning Delta people was the special profit-sharing payment announced as part of its 2021 financial results in January. People powered Delta to be the only major U.S. airline that will report a profit during the second half of 2021 – in addition to a number of award wins, including:
- No. 1 in customer satisfaction in the J.D. Power 2021 North America Airline Satisfaction Study.
- No. 18 among Fortune’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies.
- Cirium’s new annual Platinum Award for operational excellence, presented to an airline with outstanding performance.
- No. 1 U.S. Airline by the Wall Street Journal.
In a January memo to employees, Bastian announced that 20% of the company’s second-half profit – totaling about $100 million – would go to employees. The airline is paying out $1,250 per person, with those who joined mid-year or later receiving $625.
CEO Ed Bastian thanked employees Monday in a series of videos tailored to the airline’s divisions: Flight Operations; In-Flight Services; Reservations and Customer Care; ACS and Cargo; Operations and Customer Center; and TechOps.
“We’re doing it because we will always – always – choose to share the success of the company with the people who make it all possible,” Bastian said.