Key Takeaways Data says times are tough. The unemployment rate rose and inflation accelerated in September. Companies laid off more than 150,000 employees in October. Last month consumer sentiment fell to its lowest level since 2022. Delta "consistently leads network carriers in operational performance,†wrote Russo earlier this month. He and Brown argue the airline's focus on quality and premium experiences has strengthened its financials, and should serve it well in the future. In the third quarter, high-m ...