Delta Air Lines reported a greater-than-expected increase in quarterly profit on Thursday thanks to “surprise” demand growth, prompting the airline to accelerate its hiring of pilots, flight attendants, and airport workers, Chief Executive Ed Bastian told Reuters. Delta, the first of U.S. airlines to publish quarterly results, posted a 13.1 percent rise in net income to $1.5 billion in the quarter to Sept, 30 on total adjusted revenue of $12.6 billion, up 6.5 percent from a year earlier. Unlike its main U.S. competitors, Delta does not own the 737 MAX, which has not flown since a worldwide […]