- Ed Bastian sits in coach to experience airline from customer perspective
- Rule requires directors and senior executives to ride main cabin on flights under 3 hours
- Bastian does not want upgrades to avoid taking premium seats from paying customers
- Passengers recognise him and ask why he sits in coach
- Observes boarding flow, Wi-Fi performance and lavatory queues on flights
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian reveals he sits in coach to experience airline from customer perspective
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian has confirmed he sits in coach when travelling, telling passengers that is what his ticket could afford. Speaking on stage at the Fortune Global Forum, Bastian explained that sitting back there allows him to see the airline the way customers do, observing how boarding flows, whether Wi-Fi holds up and how long the line for the lavatory gets. He is usually next to the restroom, waiting on the snack cart for Biscoff cookies and a Coke Zero.
Bastian has given the same reason for years and made it a rule for his executives too, requiring directors and everyone senior to them to ride in the main cabin on any flight under 3 hours. The rule applies to the people running the company, not the front line. He also does not want the upgrade, stating that if he takes a premium seat, he is taking it from a paying customer or from a Medallion member who earned it.
Passengers notice him on flights and walk back to ask why he is sitting there. The policy reflects a commitment to understanding the customer experience firsthand, with executives experiencing the same conditions as passengers. The approach has become a well-known aspect of Delta’s leadership culture, with Bastian consistently emphasising the importance of seeing the airline through customers’ eyes.
Ed Bastian shared: “That’s about what my ticket could afford,” when passengers ask why he sits in coach.
