Delta Air Lines is facing a significant leadership change as its Chief Operating Officer, Mike Spanos, is set to leave the company at the end of the month, according to a securities filing made by the airline on Friday. The departure comes just over a year after Spanos joined the Atlanta-based carrier, marking another shake-up for the airline following recent operational disruptions.
In a memo to employees, Delta CEO Ed Bastian confirmed that Spanos is leaving to take on a role at another company, though he did not specify the new position. "Mike approached me earlier this summer to discuss his consideration of opportunities outside of Delta," Bastian wrote in the memo.
Spanos's exit follows a tumultuous period for Delta, including a major operational breakdown in July due to a cyber outage that resulted in the cancellation of thousands of flights. The airline estimates that the disruptions cost approximately $500 million and has indicated plans to seek compensation from CrowdStrike and Microsoft, the companies involved in the outage.
Spanos joined Delta in May 2023, bringing with him a wealth of experience from his previous roles as CEO of Six Flags Entertainment and various executive positions at PepsiCo. His tenure at Delta, however, has been marked by significant challenges, most notably the fallout from the global cyber outage that severely impacted the airline's operations.
Despite Spanos's departure, Delta does not plan to immediately replace him. Instead, Bastian announced that John Laughter, Chief of Operations and President of Delta's TechOps maintenance and overhaul unit, along with Allison Ausband, Chief Customer Experience Officer, will report directly to him.
