**Delta CEO Optimistic About Trump Administration, Criticizes Biden-Era Regulations**

Ed Bastian, the chief executive of Delta Air Lines, expressed optimism about the impending Trump administration, viewing it as a positive change for the airline industry following what he described as regulatory overreach under President Joe Biden. Bastian's remarks come as Delta faces scrutiny over its slow recovery from a major technology outage that occurred this summer.

Speaking in Atlanta ahead of an investor day event, Bastian highlighted President-elect Donald Trump's campaign promises to reform federal government practices and reduce bureaucratic regulations. "Trump's commitment to reassessing the regulatory environment and shrinking government overreach will be refreshing," Bastian said, addressing concerns that the industry has been excessively regulated over the past four years.

Delta is seizing the opportunity of its investor day to bolster confidence among Wall Street analysts. Despite the challenges, the airline has reported a substantial profit of $2.6 billion in the first nine months of the current year, following an impressive $4.6 billion profit the previous year. Delta maintained its previous forecast, projecting an adjusted profit for the fourth quarter to be between $1.60 and $1.85 per share. For 2025, the airline expects a mid-single-digit percentage revenue increase over 2024, aligning with analysts' projections of a 6% increase, based on a FactSet survey.

However, Bastian's optimism is met with concern from consumer advocates. They worry that a Trump administration could potentially roll back consumer-protection regulations, such as automatic refunds for canceled flights, and requirements for airlines to display full fare prices upfront, inclusive of fees and taxes. Recently, the airline industry trade group expressed approval of Trump's selection of former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy as transportation secretary, citing his previous lobbying efforts for U.S. airlines and their unions.

Delta, alongside other carriers, has been critical of certain Biden-era regulations, evidenced by their ongoing legal battles against the Transportation Department. For instance, they oppose a rule requiring greater fee transparency for passengers, arguing it could overwhelm consumers with too much information. An appeals court has temporarily halted enforcement of this rule as the lawsuit proceeds.

Delta is also under federal investigation following a July technology outage, with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg leading an inquiry into whether Delta's handling of affected passengers breached consumer-protection regulations. This situation brings to mind a similar scenario faced by Southwest Airlines, which settled for $140 million after a significant service disruption was investigated by the Transportation Department in December 2022.

Initially cooperating with the investigation, Delta later sued CrowdStrike in October, attributing the technology outage to a flawed upgrade by the cybersecurity provider. This ongoing legal and regulatory scrutiny underscores the turbulent relationship between the airline industry and federal oversight, a dynamic that could shift with the incoming administration.