‘Growth Has Stalled:’ Surge In US Infections Hits Delta

Delta Air Lines says it lost $5.7 billion in the second quarter, as the coronavirus pandemic caused air travel to collapse. The company reported financial results on Tuesday.

John Locher / Associated Press

Delta Air Lines lost $5.7 billion during a brutal three-month stretch in which the coronavirus pandemic brought travel to a near standstill, and any hoped-for recovery has been smothered by a resurgence of infected Americans.

“Growth has stalled,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said. “It was growing at a pretty nice clip through June. The virus, unfortunately, was also growing.”

Bastian said it will take more than two years for the airline to make “a sustainable recovery” from the virus and the harm it is doing to the global economy.