ATLANTA — The CEO of Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines became fodder for late night TV after he refused to use the term “delta variant” to refer to the highly-contagious coronavirus strain.
Ed Bastian said in an interview with CBS News Thursday morning that he avoids the term.
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“I don’t refer to the original variant name,” Bastian said.” “If anything, I call it ‘the darn variant.’ "
Earlier this week, Bastian used the scientific name for the variant in a letter encouraging employees to get vaccinated.
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“Over the past few weeks, the fight has changed with the rise of the B.1.617.2 variant — a very aggressive form of the virus,” he wrote. He also called it “the most recent virus variant” and just “the variant.”
Late night talk show hosts took off (pun intended) with the gag on Friday night.
Jimmy Fallon cracked several jokes in a bit about Bastian on “The Tonight Show.”
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“This explains why pilots have been saying, ‘Welcome aboard. Thank you for flying B.1.617.2 Airlines!’” Fallon said. “He’s doing anything he can to distance Delta from the variant. He said from now on, our airline is pronounced Del-TAY.”
Seth Myers, who hosts NBC’s “Late Night With Seth Myers” also took a jab at Bastian:
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