XPost: alt.louisiana, alt.politics.usa.democrat, alt.politics.scorched-earth   
   XPost: aus.aviation   
   From: support-the-nra@delta.com   
      
   Delta dealt with multiple storms in the last quarter, but CEO Ed   
   Bastian said the company weathered them all and "gained a lot of   
   fans" in the face of its biggest blast: cutting ties with the   
   NRA.   
      
   Bastian spoke on CNBC's "Squawk Box" Thursday about Delta Air   
   Lines Inc.'s (NYSE: DAL) strong quarterly results, booking   
   demands, rising jet fuel prices, and the company's decision to   
   cut ties with the National Rifle Association following the   
   Parkland, Fla. school shooting. (See video above)   
      
   Bastian was asked about his confidence in Georgia for businesses   
   after Georgia legislature yanked a tax break on jet fuel sales   
   that primarily benefits Delta following the company's decision   
   in February to end its contract on discounted fares for NRA   
   members. Bastian said he has "great confidence" in the state and   
   Gov. Nathan Deal, much like the CEO did in a public memo   
   released on March 2.   
      
   "We felt the state legislature was pushing us with respect to   
   some of our business practices to a place we weren't comfortable   
   going and we pulled back," Bastian told CNBC. "As I said in my   
   note, we're not for sale and I think Georgia is a great place to   
   center business. We affirmed in my note that we're going to stay   
   headquartered here in Georgia. This is home, and it's always   
   going to be home for Delta, as far as I'm concerned."   
      
   When asked about the impact on his business and advice he'd give   
   to other companies taking these types of politcally charged   
   positions, Bastian said:   
      
   "In my years in this industry, I've never seen a topic that's   
   delivered as much emotion as this one. And I've received tens of   
   thousands of emails on both sides of the issue. Over the last   
   month on this, I'd say 75 percent, if not more, have been   
   positive; have been supportive of the stance we take. People   
   respect the fact that we make our own decisions and stand by   
   them, and we're not selling out relative to political interest,   
   and I think we gained a lot of fans."   
   The political climate hasn't been Delta's only concern as   
   powerful winter storms in the first quarter of the year cost the   
   Atlanta-based airline $44 million, according to the earnings   
   report released today. Still, Delta reported record revenues,   
   which Bastian said were driven, interestingly, by international   
   travel, which outpaced domestic revenues.   
      
   https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2018/04/12/delta-ceo-   
   airline-gained-a-lot-of-fans-for-nra.html   
              
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)