The headline pre-tax annual loss excludes the $3.8 billion US government support for Delta’s payroll.
Delta recorded a $1.1 billion pre-tax profit as US domestic traffic recovered in the second half of 2021. After exceptional items this contributed $386 million and chief executive Ed Bastian said the carrier was the only major US airline to be profitable in the second part of 2021.
Bastian said he had authorised a special profit-sharing payment for all eligible employees, but warned:
