At a Glance

  • Delta Air Lines veteran executive Erik Snell will become Chief Financial Officer (CFO) on April 1, one of several changes the carrier is making to its executive team—adding responsibilities for some executives and promoting internal successors, according to a press release and securities filing issued Thursday.
  • Snell will succeed Daniel C. Jenki as the top financial officer at the Atlanta, Georgia-based airline; Jenki will transition to Chief Operating Officer (COO) effective April 1. Jenki, who has served as Delta's CFO since 2021, is taking on operations following the retirement of John Laughter, Delta's head of operations and president of Delta TechOps. Laughter is leaving after a 30-year career at Delta.
  • Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in the press release that as CFO, Jenki "demonstrated the operational depth and disciplined focus required to deliver the world-class performance our people, customers, and investors expect." He added: "Unifying our operations under his leadership will further strengthen coordination and alignment across our teams, which is essential to our success in a fast-paced, dynamic environment."

Deeper Dive

In other leadership changes, Delta announced that Peter Carter will serve as the company's president starting April 1. According to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Carter most recently served as Chief External Affairs Officer since October 2022, and previously served as Chief Legal Officer since July 2015.

The company also named Ranjan Goswami, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience, as Chief Marketing and Product Officer, succeeding Alicia Tillman—who has decided to leave Delta to "pursue broader leadership opportunities" externally. Meanwhile, Alain Bellemare, Executive Vice President and President of International, will additionally assume the role of Chairman of Delta TechOps.

According to the press release, Carter, Goswami, Jenki, and Snell will report directly to Bastian in their respective new roles.

Incoming CFO Snell has spent two decades at Delta, holding various positions. According to his LinkedIn profile, he most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Experience Officer since January 2025. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President of Airport Operations and Customer Service, and Senior Vice President of Operations Control Center (OCC), Operations Analysis and Development. Before joining Delta, he was a portfolio manager at SunTrust Bank.

Bastian said in the press release: "Erik brings his comprehensive understanding of Delta's operations and frontline employees to the finance organization, and with his sharp analytical skills, will further enhance our financial efficiency and shared success."

The new CFO and other executives take on their roles as Delta, along with the broader airline and travel industry, grapples with the impact of the conflict with Iran. Delta has posted a notice on its website canceling flights between New York JFK and Tel Aviv until March 22. In the past week, dozens of airlines, including Emirates and the Lufthansa Group, have suspended flights to the Middle East. According to Bloomberg, more than 23,000 flight cancellations to Middle East hubs have occurred globally during this period.

Rising oil prices have also driven jet fuel costs higher, with crude oil up 12% due to disruptions in oil shipments caused by the conflict, according to a Morningstar research report released Thursday. Fuel accounts for roughly 20% to 25% of an airline's unit costs, and Morningstar expects the surge in fuel costs to impact airline profitability.

Delta has been implementing a long-term fleet strategy aimed at improving fuel efficiency and reducing costs. According to earnings call transcripts, Jenki said during the company's fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings call on January 13 that the strategy includes both retiring older aircraft and "scaling across our fleet types."

For the full year, Delta reported adjusted fuel expenses down 7% year-over-year to $9.8 billion; adjusted fuel price was $2.30 per gallon, down 10% year-over-year, according to its financial data.