LAX serves as one of Delta’s most important coastal hubs and currently operates over 150 peak-day flights to 52 destinations across the globe, serving 19 of the top 20 markets for Los Angeles customers. More than 90,000 Delta people lead the way in delivering a world-class customer experience on over 4,000 daily flights to more than 280 destinations on six continents, connecting people to places and to each other.

Delta Air Lines was the 2023 Eddy Awards Corporate Honoree and LAEDC had the opportunity to interview Scott Santoro, Vice President, Los Angeles and Sales- West.

Can you highlight how Delta Air Lines’s operations and investments have directly contributed to job creation and supported local businesses in the Los Angeles Region? 

Scott Santoro, Vice President, Los Angeles and Sales- West

LAX serves as one of Delta’s most important coastal hubs and currently operates over 150 peak-day flights to 52 destinations across the globe, serving 19 of the top 20 markets for Los Angeles customers. More than 90,000 Delta people lead the way in delivering a world-class customer experience on over 4,000 daily flights to more than 280 destinations on six continents, connecting people to places and to each other.

Delta Air Lines was the 2023 Eddy Awards Corporate Honoree and LAEDC had the opportunity to interview Scott Santoro, Vice President, Los Angeles and Sales- West.

Can you highlight how Delta Air Lines’s operations and investments have directly contributed to job creation and supported local businesses in the Los Angeles Region? 

We connect Los Angeles to the world. As the city’s largest global carrier, we offer 155 daily flights to 55 destinations across the globe, including 19 of the top 20 markets for Los Angeles customers. Our growth and success in LA would not be possible without our people, which includes over 4,000 Angelenos. From Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (AMTs) to Customer Experience Specialists, Delta people are leading the way in delivering a seamless and elevated travel experience at LAX. 

Delta and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) have invested a combined $2.3 billion at LAX to build a brand-new, 1.2M square-foot, state-of-the-art terminal: The Delta Sky Way. This investment has been a massive job creator: 3.2M labor hours have been put into the program, with 31% of total labor hours being from local hires and 29% of spend with diverse suppliers.  

Most people don’t think of airlines as a STEM field, but countless jobs within the industry are directly or indirectly related, and Delta has initiatives supporting education, particularly in those STEM fields. How do these programs contribute to the region’s long-term economic and social development? 

Aviation is absolutely a STEM field. Airlines employ software engineers, maintenance technicians, meteorologists, data analysts and many more frontline and support staff who use STEM skills every day. Delta is committed to strengthening the aviation talent pipeline through our signature workforce development programs — TechU and Propel — and vital education partnerships in the LA area. 

This includes the Fly Compton Aeronautical Education Foundation, one of Delta’s many community partner organizations. The Foundation introduces youth to the aviation industry by offering affordable, inclusive flight training programs; a crucial initiative aligned with Delta’s values. Increasing access to careers in aviation and removing workforce barriers is one of our most important missions. Delta remains committed to working with organizations like the Fly Compton Foundation to teach aspiring aviators about impactful and rewarding careers in STEM. 

What initiatives does Delta have for workforce development, training, and education in the region? 

We partner with six universities and technical colleges in California, including California Aeronautical University, San Diego Miramar College, Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in LA and Inland Empire and the Aviation Institute of Maintenance’s Fremont campus. These partnerships play a crucial role in building California’s aviation workforce, providing a path to long-term career opportunities at Delta with industry-leading compensation.  

Delta is committed to providing opportunity to Angelenos who want to pursue a career in aviation while removing barriers to enter the industry. 

Whether its support of Junior Achievement’s 3DE program in Crenshaw and Compton High Schools, or career pathing and job exploration opportunities to schools in South East LA, or working with HireLAX through our construction partners, Delta is committed to bringing employment and growth opportunities to greater Los Angeles.   

https://www.deltatakingaction.com/content/deltaactions/en/in-your-state.html?stateCode=CA  

The Los Angeles region is one of the most diverse in the country, and that diversity is part of our strength as a region. Can you share how Delta’s initiatives to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion have enriched your workforce and resonated with the communities you serve? 

Delta is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive environment for our employees and is taking meaningful action to create a workforce reflecting the communities we serve.  As part of our “Close the Gap” initiative, we are working to increase equitable access to career growth at every level of Delta’s workforce, by providing access for all our employees to free on-line and in-person educational programing, enabling our team to build their skills and best position them for growth within the company. Our “Close the Gap” strategy complements our skills-first hiring approach which focuses on capabilities, competencies, and relevant experiences rather than degrees and credentials alone. 

We also partner with a variety of external stakeholders to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the communities we serve. Delta operates a robust supplier diversity program to ensure small, minority, and women-owned businesses are supported and represented within our operations. Additionally, we are continuously working to partner with more Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), through recruiting and career development events and through financial commitments.  

https://news.delta.com/delta-reports-diversity-progress-2023-close-gap-update 

Delta has shown a strong commitment to environmental sustainability. Can you elaborate on how investing in more fuel-efficient aircraft and exploring sustainable aviation fuels benefit the environment and impact the regional economies? 

Delta’s sustainability investments benefit the economy and the environment simultaneously. Advancing the aviation industry’s path toward decarbonization is a top priority at Delta, driven by a variety of initiatives on the ground and in the air. Currently, we are working across industries to scale Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), the industry’s most viable alternative to traditional jet fuel. We have made significant progress toward our goal of 10% SAF usage by 2030 and recently announced a new partnership with Shell Aviation that will provide 10 million gallons of SAF over a two-year period at LAX.  This investment will support California’s position as a leading state for SAF production and will generate access to more sustainable jobs.  

We are also continuing to expand our fleet of brand-new fuel-efficient aircraft, from narrow-body models like the Boeing 737 MAX or the Airbus A220 to wide-body, long-distance jets like the Airbus A350. Delta recently placed an order for 12 new Airbus A220-300s, and recently deployed a state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 aircraft to LAX for daily flights between Auckland, New Zealand and LA — becoming the only U.S. airline to provide nonstop service. 

Industries don’t live in isolation, and all of the 90,000 Delta employees are active in their community, including over 4,000 Delta employees who live in the Los Angeles Region. How does Delta’s encouragement of employee volunteerism and community service translate into real benefits for local communities? 

Giving back to the communities we serve through a wide range of local, national and global nonprofit partnerships.  Every year, Delta employees volunteer for thousands of hours in the community whether it’s planting over 4,000 trees with Tree People, packing and distributing food with the LA Regional Food Bank and YMCA of Metro Los Angeles, or sleeping out to raise money and awareness for housing homeless youth with Covenant House California. Delta people are committed to playing an active role in the community. 

Can you elaborate on any specific community programs or partnerships Delta has initiated to support the regional economy or address local needs? 

Delta is deeply connected to the Los Angeles community and works with numerous organizations to strengthen the regional economy. Through UNCF Los Angeles, we offer the “Delta Air Lines LAX Emergency Student Aid Program,” which provides completion scholarships to students in jeopardy of dropping out due to financial pressures. 

We also support 3DE programming at Crenshaw High School, to re-engineer education to better reflect the real world and prepare students for life beyond the classroom.

Delta Air Lines was the 2023 Eddy Awards Corporate Honoree.

Together, we are empowering Los Angeles students to unlock greater opportunity, reducing economic disparities through educational equity.  

In addition to our K-12 community partners, Delta supports Urban League in Los Angeles in its mission to uplift African American communities through education and job training, housing and community development, entrepreneurship, and overall wellbeing. 

How does Delta create innovation, technology transfer, or educational programs that benefit the local economy or industries? 

Delta is partnering with Joby Aviation, an aerospace company working to develop all-electric, vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which would enable fast, quiet, sustainable, city-to-airport service by air. Delta’s investment in Joby is intended to support larger cities like Los Angeles, which is why LAX will be among the first airports served once Joby’s aircraft enter operation. Customers traveling through Los Angeles will be able to reserve a seat for seamless, zero-operating-emission, short-range journeys to and from city airports when booking Delta flights — reducing time spent on the road and supporting the next era of sustainable travel. 

What are Delta’s plans or projections for growth in the Los Angeles region, and how do you foresee this impacting the local economy? 

We have a bright future in Los Angeles. Delta is an inaugural founding partner of the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games and the official airline of Team USA. We’re constantly adding new flights to LAX as well, with never-before-operated service to Auckland, New Zealand; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; and Vail, Colorado. 

When we first announced the SkyWay at LAX, it came with a commitment for Delta to become LA’s leading airline and to grow domestic and international service. As we have completed the program, we are now LA’s biggest carrier and we plan to continue to have steady growth in both size and markets served going forward. Delta looks forward to connecting Los Angeles to new global destinations, bringing in travelers from around the world for vacation and business travel: a direct benefit to LA’s booming trade and tourism industry.