Delta Air Lines appoints Europe and Africa managing director

Delta Air Lines has appointed Matt Long as managing director for Europe and Africa.

Long will lead the coordination of commercial, operational and customer experience initiatives across 35 European and African markets, working alongside Delta’s in-region teams and joint venture partners at Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic.

He will also help shape “major infrastructure and modernisation projects” across Delta’s key hubs in Amsterdam, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Heathrow, while driving customer experience transformation across Europe and Africa.

Long joined Delta in 2013 in a corporate forecasting role and most recently led the company’s international customer experience integration and strategy team. In his new role, he will be based at Delta’s offices in Amsterdam.

“Matt is a collaborative, forward-looking leader with a deep understanding of our global business and the partnerships that fuel Delta’s success,” said Perry Cantarutti, senior vice-president of alliances and international at Delta.

“His experience advancing customer experience, strengthening joint venture alignment, and connecting teams across borders makes him the ideal leader for this critical new role.

“Europe and Africa are essential to Delta’s international growth, and Matt’s leadership will help us continue elevating performance and delivering exceptional service for our customers.”

Delta said Europe and Africa continue to be “strategically important regions” which drive a “significant share of Delta’s long-haul demand and premium revenue”.