Delta COO Michael Spanos Departs After Tech Outage

Introduction

Delta Air Lines’ Chief Operating Officer (COO), Michael Spanos, is leaving the airline after just a year with the company. The news of his departure comes after a global IT outage caused by a software update, resulting in Delta canceling thousands of flights. This incident cost the company approximately $500 million and triggered an investigation by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Spanos’ Departure and the Tech Outage

According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing, Michael Spanos will be departing Delta Air Lines on August 31. This announcement follows a month after a global Microsoft Windows outage, which was triggered by a botched CrowdStrike software update. The outage resulted in Delta canceling a significant number of flights, far more than its rivals United Airlines and American Airlines.

The tech outage and subsequent flight cancellations cost Delta approximately $500 million, according to CEO Ed Bastian. The U.S. Department of Transportation has also opened an investigation into Delta’s handling of the aftermath of the incident.

Spanos’ Potential Interest in Leaving

Reports suggest that Michael Spanos had expressed potential interest in leaving Delta even before the tech outage occurred. According to Bloomberg, Spanos had informed CEO Ed Bastian of his intention to leave the company earlier in the summer. The report cited a memo from Bastian, stating that Spanos intends to join another company.

Market Response

Following the news of Spanos’ departure, Delta’s stock rose nearly 3% to $41.27 as of 3 p.m. ET on Friday. This increase brought the stock into positive territory for the year.

Conclusion

The departure of Delta Air Lines’ COO, Michael Spanos, after just a year with the company comes in the wake of a global tech outage that cost the airline $500 million. Spanos had reportedly expressed his interest in leaving the company prior to the incident. Delta’s handling of the aftermath of the tech outage is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Despite these challenges, Delta’s stock saw a positive response in the market following the news of Spanos’ departure.

Sources:
– Delta COO Leaving Carrier Weeks After Tech Outage, Investopedia, [link](https://www.investopedia.com/delta-coo-leaving-carrier-weeks-after-tech-outage-8700683)
– Image Source: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images