Delta CEO Says He Refused To Put Starlink On Planes If He Had To Call It Starlink —“No, It’s Gotta Be Delta” [Roundup]

News and notes from around the interweb: Delta CEO Ed Bastian: In order to give customers Starlink, we would’ve had to call it Starlink, and that was just a bridge too far for us. To Delta, brand matters more than quality. Speaking to the Economic Club of Minnesota, Delta CEO Ed Bastian was visibly uncomfortable when asked about his "special love with Elon Musk" before saying: "I have to be careful, because I know there’s reporters in the room." Bastian went on to repeat that it was mostly a branding dispute: "(Elon) thought it should be called Starlink on the planes. I said ‘No, it’s gotta be Delta.’” — Kyle Potter (@kpottermn) October 19, 2026 Hilton and Scandic signed a deal to develop Hilton-branded hotels across four Nordic countries, starting with a 284-room Copenhagen Airport property expected in 2029—not a wholesale conversion of Scandic hotels. They’re also promising benefits linking Hilton Honors and Scandic Friends, but haven’t announced earning, redemption or elite-status details. Ouch: Kirby walked right into that one… He really should work on the wealth inequality @united first. If he wants to distribute wealth fairly, the unions are a good place to start. @UnitedPilots @AFAUnitedMEC @Teamsters @IAMDistrict141 — Dispatchers United (@PAFCAUAL) October 19, 2026 “Brand standards” Hey @Hyatt You promised to refund our night at the worst hotel in your portfolio, the Hyatt Place Hoover. The refund never arrived so here’s a reminder of the Hampton Inn branding we saw in your hotel. Truly the worst example of a franchisee operator. Absolutely disgusting https://t.co/aNb0FRlTmk — Jason Chaliff (@jchal) October 18, 2026 Southwest is trying to be more premium. Its passengers aren’t. Didn’t know I’d be getting complimentary feet with my upgrade by u/paigetheplayer in SouthwestAirlines Flying Delta isn’t actually premium, either. Wtf. Some lady just sat down in my aisle with her baby, changed the diaper, dropped it on the ground and just walked away by u/U-Were-A-Mistake in delta Kempinski hotels CEO and top leadership are out (Skift) Barbara Muckermann has left her role as Kempinski Hotels’ Group CEO after nearly two and a half years, amid departures across the luxury hotel company’s senior leadership, according to multiple sources who spoke to Skift. Chief Financial Officer Gordon Drake, Chief Human Resources Officer Karin Raguin, Chief Development Officer Frank Veenstra, and Chief Brand Officer Barbara Biffi have also left the company, according to sources. Chief Commercial Officer Massimo Brancaleoni has resigned but it’s unclear if he has left yet. The reasons for the departures remain disputed, according to multiple sources we spoke to. The departures span several of the functions responsible for repositioning Kempinski, which reported 74 hotels and residences across 33 countries in a September 30 announcement. Topics on this page