Delta Air Lines president Glen Hauenstein to retire in February

Delta Airlines Chairman Glen Hauenstein, who propelled the carrier to become the industry’s profit leader and championed the airline’s lucrative embrace of passengers willing to spend a little more for a more luxurious travel experience, is retiring in February.

“For two decades, Glen and his team have been at the center of Delta’s premium strategy as it became the airline of choice for travelers looking to invest in great experiences in the air and on the ground,” CEO Ed Bastian said in a memo to employees. “I couldn’t ask for a better co-pilot to help Delta become the best-performing airline in the world.”

Delta is promoting Joe EspositoDr. has been with Delta for 35 years, most recently as senior vice president of network planning, pricing and revenue management, serving as executive vice president and chief commercial officer.

Hauenstein, 64, has been with Delta since 2005 and was appointed to his current role in 2016. He previously served as executive vice president and chief revenue officer at the airline. He will serve as strategic advisor until the end of 2026.

During his tenure, Hauenstein expanded Delta’s international network and helped the airline find new ways to earn more per seat; This was partly because he successfully made customers pay for first-class seats that he used to give away for free. In October, Delta said premium travel revenue would surpass sales from main cabin next year.

At times, Delta’s strategies were successful with a large number of customers. Overcrowding in Sky Club airport lounges has led the airline to raise the entry bar to avoid ugly queues.

While Delta continues to make more profits than other carriers, competitors also United Airlines It is investing heavily in renovated cabins, free high-speed Wi-Fi and new aircraft. American AirlinesThe company, a latecomer to the luxury travel boom, is also investing in better products on planes and at the airport.

In addition to targeting affluent consumers, Hauenstein also noted the trend of affluent baby boomers eager to travel.

“As a baby boomer, I can say this without fear of retribution. There’s only so much time to go to Europe, or nearly as much time to see Australia or Japan,” he said in an April earnings call. “And so you get a wealth effect where this group of retirees is wealthier than other groups, even according to the most recent list, and they want to go and do something.”