Sichko - who is a frequent flier, traveling the world as a motivational speaker and retreat leader - had long been a Delta loyalist and was well known by the company's crew for always bringing along candy, gift cards and other surprises and getting to know their names, families and personal stories. Jim Sichko of the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky, who eventually introduced him to the pope. In fact, it was another personal encounter with the works of mercy that led Bastian to meet Fr. Five days later, in Rome, he met the man who had taken on the saint's namesake when he was elected pope in 2013.īastian, who has been the head of one of the world's top airlines since 2016, described his May 18 meeting with Pope Francis as a career highlight and one in which he wanted to personally thank the pope for being a messenger of mercy for a world in need of it. Rome - When Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian addressed a crowd of 50,000 at the University of Georgia's commencement ceremonies on May 13, he concluded his remarks with words from the Prayer of St.
