A top Delta Air Lines executive is leaving to lead the company that owns Outback Steakhouse

TAMPA, Fla. -- A high-ranking Delta Air Lines executive whose impending departure was announced last week has been named CEO of Bloomin’ Brands, which owns Outback Steakhouse and several other restaurant chains.

The Florida-based dining company said Monday that Michael Spanos will start his new job Sept. 3. He will replace David Deno, who announced in May that he planned to retire after 12 years as CEO.

Spanos was the chief operating officer at Delta, where he oversaw daily operations, for just over a year. His departure comes about a month after Delta recovered slowly from a technology outage and canceled 7,000 flights over five days as it struggled to match crews with planes.

A Delta spokesperson said Spanos told CEO Ed Bastian before the outage that he was considering other jobs.

Spanos spent most of his career at PepsiCo and the Pepsi Bottling Group, and was CEO of amusement-park operator Six Flags Entertainment before joining Delta.