Controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
Back to profile6 entries
2026
Delta sued by passenger over seat size injury claim
Lawsuit filed
Rolondo Jimenez sued Delta, claiming he was injured during a flight from Atlanta to Seattle because his seat was broken and he had to contort his body next to a larger passenger, later requiring emergency back surgery. He seeks a jury trial for medical expenses and pain and suffering.
Source excerpt
Jimenez is seeking a jury trial and is suing Delta for medical expenses and pain and suffering.
He claims he had to contort his body and lean to the left for the entire flight because his seat was broken.
Atlanta-based Delta is being sued after a passenger claims he was injured because of the size of the airline’s seats.
2021
Delta pilot sues airline over communications app
Lawsuit filed
A Delta pilot sued the airline, accusing it of stealing trade secrets related to a communications app he developed. Delta said the allegations were not an accurate or fair description of its development of its internal crew messaging platform.
Company response
Denial — Delta
"While we take the allegations specified in Mr. Alexander's complaint seriously, they are not an accurate or fair description of Delta's development of its internal crew messaging platform."
Source excerpt
A Delta pilot has sued the airline for $1 billion, accusing it of trade secrets theft over a communications app he developed a few years ago.
"While we take the allegations specified in Mr. Alexander's complaint seriously, they are not an accurate or fair description of Delta's development of its internal crew messaging platform."
According to Alexander's complaint, Delta ended up telling him that his technology didn't fit its needs and ultimately launched its own Flight Family Communications app in 2018.
2020
US Department of Transportation fines Delta $50,000 over discriminatory passenger removals
Fine or penalty
The US Department of Transportation fined Delta $50,000 over the removal of three Muslim passengers from two flights in 2016. The department's consent order said Delta violated the law, and required cultural-sensitivity training for relevant cabin crew and customer service staff. Delta denied discrimination but said it could have handled the situations differently.
Company response
Denial — Delta
Delta denied that it discriminated against the passengers in two separate incidents
Source excerpt
Delta, one of the major airlines of the United States, was fined $50,000 by the US Department of Transportation for “discriminatory conduct” in the removal of three Muslim passengers from two flights in 2016.
According to NBC News, a consent order released by the Transportation Department on Friday says Delta airline violated the law “when it removed and denied re-boarding” to the Muslim passengers.
Delta denied that it discriminated against the passengers in two separate incidents but agreed it could have handled the situations differently,
2020
Delta supports passenger after reported harassment on flight
Company response
A passenger on a Delta flight reported being harassed by another passenger. According to the article, Delta's flight attendants offered to relocate the other passenger. Delta also upgraded the affected passenger's seat and gave her gifts. The event was reported on September 6, 2020.
After a passenger reported being harassed by another passenger on a Delta flight, Delta's flight attendants offered to relocate the other passenger. Delta also upgraded the affected passenger's seat and gave her gifts, according to the article.
Company response
Remediation — Delta
Delta airlines gave a statement to NBC News.
Source excerpt
Poe said she was “grateful” that other passengers came to her defense and Delta’s flight attendants offered to relocate the white woman.
Demetria Poe, CEO, and Founder at Scholar School LLC in Minneapolis, Minnesota, gave an account on her Facebook account, of what transpired on a recent flight when she was faced with racism from a white passenger who sat right next to her on a Delta flight.
A Black passenger who was being harassed by a white passenger on a Delta flight who wore a ‘Blue Lives Matter’ face mask, was defended by the airline and even had her seat upgraded and received gifts from Delta according to .USA Today
2019
American Airlines sues Delta over “Flagship”
Lawsuit filed
American Airlines filed a lawsuit against Delta, alleging that Delta used the term “Flagship” to promote its airport lounges and premium services. According to the allegation, this use infringed trademark rights claimed by American and created confusion. The dispute concerns Delta's use of the “Flagship” term in connection with its lounge and premium service offerings.
American Airlines sued Delta, alleging that Delta used the “Flagship” term to promote its airport lounges and premium services, infringing American’s claimed trademark rights and creating confusion.
Source excerpt
Frequent Business Traveler reports that, according to the lawsuit, American holds that it owns multiple registered marks including "Flagship" to describe its services.
Mon, Dec 30, 2019
The suit claims that Delta "knowing that American owns the exclusive right to use the Flagship marks,” has used the term “to promote its own airport lounges and premium services and interiors. This is no accident.”
2015
Delta apologizes for CEO's 9/11 remarks
Company response
Delta apologized for CEO Richard Anderson's remarks about Middle Eastern airlines and the 9/11 attacks, saying he did not mean to suggest that Gulf carriers or their governments were linked to the terrorists.
Company response
Apology — Delta
Delta apologized Wednesday for Anderson's remarks, which he made on CNN's "Quest Means Business."
Clarification — Delta
"He didn't mean to suggest the gulf carriers or their governments are linked to the 9/11 terrorists," the company said in a statement.
Source excerpt
"We apologize if anyone was offended."
Delta apologized Wednesday for Anderson's remarks, which he made on CNN's "Quest Means Business."