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Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian talks to ‘The Claman Countdown’ about the company’s developments at CES 2025.
With the new technologies aerospace liftoff, Delta Air Lines is living up to its motto of “Keep Climbing” with the use of the latest airline platforms and new partnerships. Delta CEO Ed Bastian talked about the airline’s future plans and hinted that air taxis could be taking to the skies soon.
“You’re going to start seeing them in the sky within the next couple of years,” Bastian said FOX Business’ Liz Claman during CES 2025.
During this event, Delta Air Lines, celebrating its centennial, showed its vision for the next century. The vision includes employing artificial intelligence and fostering new and existing partnerships with technology companies, ride-share and aerospace industries.
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The CEO shed light on plans to bring a home-to-airport air taxi service, through its partnership with Joby Aviation and its all-electric vertical take-off (eVTOL) aircraft.
“They (Joby) have gone through all the certification processes,” he said. “The FAA, by the way, has been a big proponent of bringing this mobility service to the sky because they realize the problem is what’s on the ground and all the congestion down there. So our ability to work with Joby we were very impressed. technology I think they are the leaders in the space.”
Delta CEO Ed Bastian predicts we’ll see air taxis in ‘next two years’ as airline partners with Joby Aviation (“Courtesy of Joby Aviation. (c) Joby Aero, Inc.”)
Joby is “engaged in a multi-year test program with the FAA to certify our vehicle for commercial operations, and has completed the first three of five stages,” according to the aerospace company website.
A December 2024 press release also highlighted its recent milestone in the air taxi certification process with the completion of airframe testing with FAA representation present.
As the certification process progresses, Bastian explained the FAA’s awareness when it comes to congestion.
Delta Air Lines Bombardier Boeing 757-200 as seen arriving, on final approach to land at JFK John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. (Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images) (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“They realize the problem is what’s on the ground and all the congestion down there,” Bastian said.
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He also detailed how air taxis would work and reduce travel times.
“You can take a Joby from, say, New York, where you live, to Westchester County, landing at JFK (John F. Kennedy International Airport),” he said. “How long does that take on the road? Probably two hours… You can do it in 15 minutes and be right inside a Delta SkyMiles club, and then your next stop is… (within) your plane”.
Bastian concluded by proposing that “it’s all about value.”
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