Hours Before Crash, Delta VP Was Quoted Defying DEI Rollback, Insisting DEI Is 'Critical to Our Business'
On the same day that a Delta Air Lines plane had a crash landing in Toronto, one of the company’s senior executives was quoted defending its diversity practices.
Delta Flight 4819 was involved in an accident at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday afternoon.
Pictures of the plane upside down on the runway swiftly went viral as the company revealed that there were 18 injuries, including two people in critical condition, but no fatalities.
Toronto was dealing with fast winds and winter weather at the time of the crash.
The incident came after multiple other high-profile aviation accidents and as the industry faces criticism for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
Those dynamics were at play with the Toronto crash, as well.
Just a few hours before the crash, Forbes published an article about the companies that are resisting a broader cultural and political backlash against diversity initiatives.
The outlet quoted Peter Carter, the executive vice president for external affairs at Delta, saying during a January earnings call that the company is not going to reevaluate DEI.
Alison Sider, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, noted during the call, “We’ve just seen other companies and other industries rethinking of sustainability pledges and DEI commitments,” leading her to ask “if there’s anything Delta is kind of reevaluating in either of those spaces.”
Carter immediately responded, “No, we are not.”
“We are steadfast in our commitments because we think that they are actually critical to our business. Sustainability is about being more efficient in our operations,” he said.
“And really DE&I is about talent, and that’s been our focus. And of course, the key differentiator at Delta is our people,” Carter insisted.
Social media users criticized those comments after the crash, noting that the DEI movement tends to distract companies from hiring according to merit.
“Delta is one of the last remaining DEI airlines,” one user wrote. “A disgrace.”
“Delta is one of my favorite airlines to use, but why with DEI?” another commented. “There’s already anti-discrimination laws in effect. All DEI does is promote discrimination, instead of merit.”
“The focus should be on not crashing planes,” a third recommended.
We do not know whether DEI caused the plane crash in Toronto.
But the fact that millions of people immediately started to wonder whether the pilots were hired because of something other than their superior skills demonstrates just how much reputational damage, and perhaps actual damage, DEI has caused to the airline industry and countless other American companies.
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