Delta CEO, familiar to travelers from in-flight videos, to retire

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Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

Richard Anderson, the CEO who greeted travelers on board many Delta flights by appearing in welcome videos on their seat-back screens, is retiring.

Anderson is known for turning Delta Air Lines around into one of the most profitable carriers in the world, with a hard-charging, competitive approach.

But Delta passengers may remember him best from in-flight videos filmed in his office at Delta founder C.E. Woolman's desk, at the airline's pilot training facility, in its control center or at its maintenance facility.

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Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

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Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

"I'm Richard Anderson, CEO of Delta Air Lines," he said on the videos, talking about the company's employees and values -- and imploring passengers to listen to the safety briefing that followed.

Bastian, who is president of Delta, will step into the top spot May 2.

No word yet on whether the new CEO, Ed Bastian, will make similar appearances on in-flight videos.

Bastian lives in Gwinnett County in the Duluth area and grew up in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. He is a longtime Delta executive, a certified public accountant, and has also been the airline's chief restructuring officer and chief financial officer before becoming president.

ajc.com

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

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Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi