When air travel bounces back, Delta—under the leadership of CEO Ed Bastian—hopes to earn a larger share of the market than it did before the pandemic by investing in its relationship with customers. Despite losing $12.4 billion in 2020, Delta was the sole major airline to leave middle seats open between all passengers for over a year. The move coincided with more than a 20-point jump in the company’s net promoter score—a measure of whether a customer is likely to recommend a brand or service—during the pandemic. The airline, which plans to roll out free in-flight wi-fi, aims to keep that goodwill as it begins seating full rows again in May.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Eyewitness Accounts From the Trump Rally Shooting
- From 2022: How the Threat of Political Violence Is Transforming America
- ‘We’re Living in a Nightmare:’ Inside the Health Crisis of a Texas Bitcoin Town
- Remembering Shannen Doherty, the Quintessential Gen X Girl
- How Often Do You Really Need to Wash Your Sheets?
- Why Mail Theft Is on the Rise
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Get Our Paris Olympics Newsletter in Your Inbox