ATLANTA (AP) – Delta Air Lines' chief is upset the 278 passengers and 11 crew members aboard Flight 253 were put at risk by a suspected terrorist despite the carrier's compliance with government security measures.

CEO Richard Anderson told employees in a recorded message Thursday that airlines have done everything the government has asked since the 2001 terror attacks to follow advanced passenger notification requirements and heightened screening measures.

He said that should have brought a better result than the peril those aboard the Christmas flight from Amsterdam to Detroit faced.
Delta will insist Washington do a better job.

"Having this occur again is disappointing to all of us,'' Anderson said. He added, "You can be certain we will make our points very clearly in Washington.''

According to authorities, a Nigerian man who said he was an agent for al-Qaeda tried and failed to blow up the Northwest Airlines flight as it prepared to land.

Delta owns Northwest.

Anderson said the crew aboard the flight will receive commendations from the airline next week ``for their diligence and the work they did to make sure everybody got to Detroit safely.'' He did not elaborate.

Delta is offering travel credits to the passengers on the flight.

The 23-year-old suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, arrived in Amsterdam on Dec. 25 from Lagos, Nigeria, on a KLM flight. Air France-KLM has a joint venture with Delta that involves sharing costs and revenue on trans-Atlantic flights.