Delta CEO predicts busy summer travel season during lecture at Northwestern University

While people are seeing long-term changes in the way they travel and work, Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian says international travelers and business travelers are making a strong comeback.

Travel is expected to be crowded this summer, and the carrier is taking steps to address summer travel challenges such as bad weather and full flights, he told reporters during a visit to Chicago. However, the processes may not be as smooth as before the epidemic.

"It's still a tough summer," Bastian said. "I think we're going to do a really good job, but it won't be like the previous epidemic."

With the return of travel demand, airlines have tightened flight schedules and staff are returning after the epidemic . Passengers have found higher fares for flights , especially in recent weeks, as airlines have struggled with oil price fluctuations, and the lack of pilots could pose a particular challenge for smaller flights in the region.

Delta performed less in the first quarter of the year than in 2019. The company said in its April quarterly earnings report that its capacity was 83% compared to the 2019 level.

"We've tried to be more stable and grow our capacity," Bastian said this week.

Bastian said the staff is of good quality. The company has hired 15,000 people since the beginning of last year and has been hiring pilots and auxiliary aircraft.

But summer thunderstorms and air traffic control challenges can cause headaches for passengers. Bastian said the airline has been full of planes lately, which means there may not be much room to reschedule canceled flights.

He said Delta has taken steps to address the challenge, including building more crew comfort and building a "fire route" that will allow it to meet its schedule. Air loads are expected to stabilize next year.

While Delta is looking forward to the summer travel season, business travel has already returned, Bastian told a conference at Northwestern University. The amount of business travel is more than 80% of the previous epidemic and the revenue is close to 100%.

Corporate travel has been particularly affected by the epidemic , with people planning their vacations faster than business travel and delays in resuming business by employers, where the COVID-19 delta variable increases, then the omikron variable.

He said the advent of business zoom and other technologies will take away some of the traditional business travel. But changes in the workplace will encourage other new types of business travel.

Bastian does not expect the company to return to normal office hours soon. This means new types of business trips, such as travel to different places for employees and work office trips, he said.

“I think you’ll notice your change because of the travel,” he said.

O'Hare International Airport has more changes for passengers who fly through the Delta. The airline is moving from Terminal 2 to Terminal 5 as part of the airport's 8.5 billion expansion, including the renovation and expansion of Terminal 5 and the replacement of Terminal 2 with a new global terminal.

sfreishtat@chicagotribune.com