Delta CEO Ed Bastian reveals what he says must happen for airline ticket prices to fall

Delta CEO Ed Bastian said airline ticket prices would fall only when the industry can add more capacity, arguing supply constraints are the main driver rather than fuel alone. Speaking on “Mornings with Maria” in an interview Tuesday with FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo, Bastian said prices come down “when we can fly more,” describing the market as “logjammed.” He linked the limited supply to congestion in the air traffic control system and said expanding traffic flow would enable more flights and lower costs. Bastian noted that earlier price spikes followed a fuel shock, including conflict in Iran and the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, but he said oil prices have since eased. He said rising energy costs hit Delta’s bottom line by nearly $2 billion, forcing higher fares. He also cited progress from bottleneck eliminations and deregulation. Delta is meanwhile expanding maintenance operations, including “Delta TechOps.”