Shamik Banerjee (MBA07) | Vice President, JFK Airport Operations, Delta Air Lines, New York City
Thursday, September 25, 2025
By Amanda May

THIS / OR / THAT

DREAMER / PRAGMATIC

I am an absolute dreamer. Leadership is about passionately pursuing a vision, inspiring the team to believe in it, and tirelessly working together to turn that dream into a tangible reality.

PHONE CALL / EMAIL

CHECKED BAG / CARRY-ON ONLY

Delta has the best on-time bags stats among all the carriers, so I would encourage you to check your bags, but carry-on only does make it easy to get in and out of the airport.

NEW YORK PIZZA / BIRIYANI

INTROVERT / EXTROVERT

Although I am introverted, my role requires me to lead a team of nearly 3,000 individuals!

IN-FLIGHT MOVIE / SLEEP / WORK

Shamik Banerjee standing in front of Delta plane
Shamik Banerjee at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York. Photo courtesy of Delta Air Lines. 

TALK / LISTEN

Listen, for sure. As a leader, I prioritize creating an environment where every team member has a voice. I believe that those on the front lines—whether they are loading bags onto airplanes, pushing aircraft back, or boarding our customers—have invaluable insights into the real concerns and needs of our operations.

BISCOFF COOKIE / PRETZELS

REMOTE WORK / IN-PERSON

FUN FACT: I went to work every single day during the COVID lockdown. We held daily operational briefings and conducted business as usual, even when we were only flying 10% of our flights. It felt like running a full orchestra with only the triangle player showing up.

COFFEE / TEA

SIMPLE / COMPLEX

SUPER EARLY TO AIRPORT / JUST ENOUGH TIME

I travel almost every week, so I have it down to a science. I hit parking about 60 minutes before departure and board my flight just in time. Never missed a flight in my life.

SPONTANEOUS / PLANNED

UBER / TAXI

 

 

This article appeared in the Fall 2025 issue of Tippie Magazine.