Delta Announces Departure of Mike Spanos, Seeking New Opportunity After Short Tenure

Delta Airlines has announced that Chief Operating Officer Mike Spanos will leave the airline at the end of this month, as detailed in a recent securities filing. CEO Ed Bastian revealed in a company memo that Spanos is ready to join another organization, after a tenure of just over a year with Delta.

Spanos’s decision to leave comes shortly after Delta experienced significant operational challenges due to disruptions caused by a major CrowdStrike cyber incident in July, which the airline estimates cost about $500 million. Despite those challenges, CEO Bastian noted that Spanos had expressed interest in exploring outside opportunities earlier this summer.

Looking ahead, Delta will not be looking for a direct replacement for Spanos. Instead, leadership responsibilities will be redistributed across the company. John Laughter, currently responsible for Delta’s TechOps maintenance and overhaul unit, along with Allison Ausband, head of customer experience, will now report directly to Bastian.

Spanos, who joined Delta in May 2023, brings extensive leadership experience from his previous roles, including CEO of Six Flags Entertainment and various executive positions at PepsiCo.