Airlines across the industry are looking at ways to use artificial intelligence to make flying more efficient, which has some travelers wondering whether the technology could one day replace pilots. But the CEO of one major U.S. airline has made it clear that won’t be happening on his watch.
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian recently vowed that the airline will always have at least two pilots in the cockpit as long as he’s in charge, even as Delta leans further into AI elsewhere in its operations.
‘Never Be Less Than Two Pilots’
Bastian addressed the topic during a recent interview with CBS News, and he didn’t mince words.
“There will never be less than two pilots in a Delta cockpit as long as I’m here,” Bastian said, via CBS News.
Bastian added that he expects that to remain the case “for a very long time.” He said Delta wants to use technology to make pilots’ jobs easier and safer, not to take them out of the cockpit.
His stance lines up with that of the Air Line Pilots Association, which has pushed back against single-pilot operations. In a white paper, the union argued that airliners need “at least two experienced, well-trained, and well-rested pilots in the cockpit.”
How Delta Plans to Use AI
That doesn’t mean Delta is staying away from AI altogether. Bastian said the airline hopes the technology will help employees find answers faster and solve problems more efficiently, which could mean quicker help for passengers when their travel plans go sideways.
Delta has also discussed using AI to help set ticket prices by predicting demand and figuring out when discounted fares might encourage more people to book, according to TheStreet.
The airline has said that its pricing system adjusts fares based on demand and seat availability, rather than using personal data to set prices for individual travelers.