Business news in brief
By The Associated Press
Two Delta planes collide on Atlanta taxiway
ATLANTA | Two planes have collided on a taxiway at Atlanta’s airport, with a larger plane knocking over the tail of a smaller regional jet. No injuries were reported in the Tuesday morning incident and there was no fire. Delta Air Lines says passengers will be rebooked on other flights.
Atlanta-based Delta says the wing of a Delta Airbus A350 jet bound for Tokyo hit the tail of a Bombardier CRJ-900 on an adjacent taxiway. The smaller plane, operated by Delta subsidiary Endeavor Air, was preparing to take off for Lafayette, Louisiana.
Passenger Jason Adams posted pictures of the tail of the smaller plane knocked on its side, describing “metal scraping sounds then loud bangs.”
Starbucks’ new CEO wants to recapture coffeehouse vibe
Starbucks’ new chairman and CEO says he plans to focus on improving service and reestablishing the struggling coffee giant’s stores as gathering places.
In an open letter posted on the company’s website on Tuesday, Brian Niccol said Starbucks is a beloved brand. But he says he found in conversations with employees and customers over the past few weeks a “shared sense that we have drifted from our core.”
Starbucks’ sales have fallen this year due to weaker U.S. store traffic and other issues, including rising competition in China and boycotts in the Middle East. Niccol says improving the store experience for both baristas and customers will help turn that around.
Southwest Airlines shakes up board under pressure from big shareholder
Southwest Airlines will revamp its board and the chairman will retire next year, but it intends to stick with CEO Robert Jordan.
The moves were announced Tuesday after Southwest met with representatives from hedge fund Elliott Investment Management, which is pushing for changes including a leadership shakeup at the airline.
Southwest says six directors will leave the board in November and it plans to appoint four new ones, who could include candidates put forward by Elliott. And Chairman Gary Kelly will step down next year.
Elliott has called for the ouster of Jordan and Kelly.
—From AP reports
