Delta Air Lines COO Michael Spanos to Depart After Year in Role

Delta Air Lines announced on Friday that Chief Operating Officer Michael Spanos will leave the company next week after just over a year in the position. Spanos, who previously held leadership roles at PepsiCo and Six Flags Entertainment, joined Delta in June 2023. His departure follows a tumultuous period for the airline, which recently faced significant operational challenges due to a global technology outage that resulted in the cancellation of thousands of flights. In a regulatory filing, Delta did not specify the reasons for Spanos' exit but confirmed that he would receive severance benefits as per the company's executive compensation plan. Last year, Spanos' compensation was valued at approximately $8.6 million, primarily from stock awards. Delta's CEO, Ed Bastian, noted that Spanos had informed him of his intention to leave earlier this summer, prior to the technology issues that plagued the airline. Bastian praised Spanos for his contributions to improving Delta's performance during his tenure. However, the airline will not appoint a new COO, as President Glen Hauenstein is generally regarded as the second-ranking executive at Delta. The recent technology outage, which stemmed from a faulty software upgrade, severely impacted Delta, leading to around 7,000 flight cancellations over five days, while other airlines managed to recover more swiftly.