Delta Air Lines CEO skims Georgia election law controversy in earnings call
Airline boss says boycott calls haven't had a 'significant impact' on business
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian took a moment on his company’s quarterly earnings call to address the impact the airline is seeing following his response to the new Georgia election law.
The Atlanta-based airline has faced criticism for being among the first companies, along with Coca-Cola, to speak out against the new law and then not joining a statement signed by hundreds of CEOs and corporations that opposed "discriminatory legislation" that makes it harder for people to vote.
Delta first faced boycott calls from liberals for not speaking out against the law and then from conservatives who said the airline should avoid choosing sides in politics.
"We haven't seen any significant impact from the different discussions that have been going on in Georgia," Bastian said on Delta’s quarterly earnings call on Thursday.
FOX Business did not have the opportunity to ask a question on the 82-minute call, which was originally set to run 90 minutes. A Delta spokesperson told FOX Business in an email exchange after the call that the company doesn't have any further comments on the matter.
GEORGIA HOUSE VOTES TO STRIP DELTA OF TAX BREAK AFTER CEO CRITICIZED VOTING LAW
Bastian in a memo to employees earlier this month called the law, dubbed SB202, "unacceptable" and said that it "does not match Delta’s values."
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAL | DELTA AIR LINES INC. | 65.28 | +0.80 | +1.24% |
Part of the voting reform law passed last month in Georgia requires all people requesting or submitting an absentee ballot to provide a driver’s license or state-ID card number if they have one.
Those unable to do so can confirm their identities through one of several other ways. This includes the last four digits of their Social Security number plus their birth date; a utility bill; a bank statement; a paycheck; a government check; or another similar government document that includes their name and address.
Other measures in the new law include expanding access to early voting and mandated, secure drop boxes, some of which have limits on when they can be accessed.
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Delta on Thursday morning reported a $1.2 billion loss for the first quarter as it continued to reel in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the company expects to reach breakeven in June as more people receive the vaccine and bookings improve.
Shares were up 20% this year through Wednesday, outperforming the S&P 500’s 9.81% gain.