Delta CEO Ed Bastian discussed past Starlink talks, while fuel costs forced earnings forecast cuts.
- Delta CEO Ed Bastian said the airline tested Starlink but skipped a partnership over timing and business disagreements.
- Delta is working with Viasat and Hughes to improve onboard Wi-Fi and plans to use Amazon Leo for future connectivity.
- Delta’s Q3 fuel costs surged 62%, prompting the airline to lower its 2026 earnings outlook.
Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) stock edged higher overnight as CEO Ed Bastian revisited the airline’s past discussions with Elon Musk’s Starlink amid tensions between the two sides. Bastian said Delta tested Starlink’s technology years ago, but disagreements over deployment timelines and customer access prevented a deal, while stressing he remains a fan of the satellite internet service.
Delta Air Lines stock edged 0.04% higher in Monday’s premarket. The stock dropped 2.2% last week.
Delta’s Early Starlink Talks Stalled Over Timing And Business Terms
In a CNBC interview on Friday, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said the airline explored a partnership with SpaceX’s (SPCX) Starlink internet service years ago.
“We’ve been around Starlink for a lot of years. In fact, we had conversations 6 years ago when Starlink was just launching. We in fact gave them some of our planes to test it out, and it was fabulous.”
“They just weren’t ready to scale when we were ready to go. We had disagreements on the business model in terms of access to the customer. I’m a big fan of Starlink.”
Bastian added that Delta was among the first to make free, high-speed Wi-Fi a standard service. Delta is working closely with Viasat and Hughes to improve onboard connectivity.
“Delta is the global pioneer in launching free and fast WiFi as the industry standard. We are working very closely with our partners Viasat and Hughes. We have big improvements coming. Just yesterday Viasat got approval from FCC to launch for the U.S. carriers. By the end of this year our customers are going to see meaningful improvements and are excited about Amazon Leo.”
Elon Musk’s dispute with Delta Air Lines has grown after the airline declined to use SpaceX’s Starlink Wi-Fi. Musk criticized Delta’s internet service and warned it could “lose customers”. In a company event, Bastian had responded to Musk’s jibe, saying, “We do not want to be with Elon Musk. Trust me.” Delta has chosen Amazon Leo for its in-flight Wi-Fi instead.
Rising Fuel Costs Force Delta To Cut 2026 Outlook
Delta’s stock fell 1% on Friday after the airline reported third-quarter (Q3) results that missed analysts’ expectations. The company posted adjusted earnings of $1.72 per share and revenue of $17.59 billion, below estimates of $1.76 per share and $18.92 billion, according to Fiscal.ai data. Delta also lowered its 2026 earnings forecast as fuel costs kept rising.
Delta’s fuel expenses jumped 62% year-on-year to $4.14 billion in the quarter. The airline now expects adjusted earnings of $5.10 – $5.60 per share for 2026, down from its earlier forecast of $6.50 – $7.50. Delta still expects about $2.5 billion in free cash flow for the full year and plans to repay more than $2 billion in debt.
“It was a challenging quarter because of the extreme volatility that we saw in fuel prices. But I’ve got to give my thanks and kudos to my team to cover a 60% increase on a year-over-year in fuel prices, which was $ 1.6 billion for us, and not missing our overall profit year-on-year.”
DAL Stock: Retail View
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around the stock remained ‘extremely bullish’
A user said, “Delta Air Lines is one of the clearest plays on the screener theme, with a large global passenger and cargo network whose profitability shifts with jet fuel costs, so any relief in energy prices can quickly change how investors view its earnings power.”
DAL stock has gained 18% year-to-date.
For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.<