Delta Air Lines has appointed Matt Long as Managing Director Europe & Africa. With the appointment, the U.S. carrier says it aims to further strengthen its position in the transatlantic market ahead of what is expected to be its busiest summer season ever.
In his new role, Long will oversee commercial, operational and customer-focused activities across 35 markets in Europe and Africa. He will work closely with regional teams and joint venture partners Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic. He will also be involved in infrastructure and modernization projects at Delta’s hubs in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and London Heathrow Airport.
Europe and Africa are strategically important regions for Delta and account for a significant share of long-haul demand and premium revenue. The airline’s transatlantic network now includes more than one hundred peak-day flights between North America, Europe and Africa. Recent additions include routes such as Seattle–Barcelona, Seattle–Rome, New York-JFK–Olbia, Malta and Porto, Atlanta–Marrakech, as well as expanded service to Accra and Lagos.
Perry Cantarutti, Senior Vice President – Alliances International at Delta, said: ‘Matt is a collaborative and forward-looking leader with a deep understanding of our global operations and the partnerships that make Delta’s success possible. His experience in enhancing the customer experience, strengthening cooperation within joint ventures and connecting teams across borders makes him the ideal candidate for this crucial new role. Europe and Africa are essential to our international growth, and under his leadership we will continue to improve our performance and deliver exceptional service to our customers.’
Long has been with Delta since 2013 and has held several leadership positions across international operations, alliances, customer experience and commercial departments. In his most recent role he led the International Customer Experience Integration & Strategy team, focusing on deeper integration with joint venture partners and improving customer satisfaction across the international network. He will be based at Delta’s office in Amsterdam.
