Former Delta president Glen Hauenstein has joined the board of directors of Canadian airline WestJet.
The carrier announced Hauenstein’s appointment on Wednesday, together with Walter Cho, chairman and CEO of Korean Air and Hanjin Group.
Hauenstein was a massively influential figure at Delta, helping to expand the carrier’s international network, premium offerings, loyalty program, and partnerships. He served as president from 2016 until his retirement earlier this year.
“I am proud to join the WestJet Group board as the airline continues to drive innovation and strengthen strategic partnerships, all with a continued commitment on delivering reliable air travel and long-term growth,” Hauenstein said in a statement.
Hauenstein’s appointment could signal a closer relationship between Delta and WestJet. Delta owns 12.7% of WestJet.
Delta and Korean Air expanded their respective stakes in the Canadian airline last year in a three-way deal with private equity platform Onex. Delta acquired 15% of the airline, while Korean acquired 10%. Delta later sold 2.3% to Air France-KLM.
Delta and WestJet have been codeshare partners since 2011.
