Delta CEO Ed Bastian reportedly told employees at recent company events that the airline had tested Starlink but decided not to partner with Elon Musk. Aviation insider JonNYC shared the alleged comments but cautioned that he could not independently verify their exact wording.
Musk responded on X, saying Bastian would “lose his job over this,” while also criticizing Delta’s decision not to choose Starlink. Delta has not confirmed or denied the reported remarks.
Delta announced in March that it had selected Amazon Leo, Amazon’s low-Earth-orbit satellite network, for its next-generation inflight Wi-Fi. Installation is scheduled to begin in 2028, initially covering around 500 aircraft, with free service planned for SkyMiles members.
Publicly, Bastian described Amazon Leo as the “fastest and most cost-effective technology available” and highlighted Delta’s existing relationship with Amazon Web Services. Delta has not officially said that Musk personally influenced its decision.