Davis 1

Jessie Davis

AVT 1105

Orientation to Aviation

The History of Delta Airlines

10/17/2019
 Delta Airlines is well known as one of the largest airlines in the world, but few

people actually know what brought them to where they are today. Delta Airlines began

its journey as the largest fleet of crop dusters in the world. As time continued, they

expanded their horizons of business and in turn grew to become one of the largest and

most successful airlines in the world today.

In 1925, Huff Daland founded his crop-dusting fleet in Macon Georgia which was

titled Huff Daland Dusters. “This was the first commercial agricultural flying company,

and Huff Daland's 18 planes become the largest privately-owned fleet in the world”

(Charles Gay). Their crop-dusting operations ran from Florida to Arkansas, California,

and Mexico. In time, Huff started the first international mail and passenger route. He

operated “the route on the west coast of South America for Pan Am subsidiary Peruvian

Airways” (Charles Gay).

Collette E. Woolman bought Huff Daland Dusters in 1928 and changed the name

to Delta Air Service. It got its name for servicing the Mississippi Delta region. A year

later, “Delta starts its first passenger flights over a route from Dallas to Jackson, Miss.,

via Shreveport and Monroe, La.” (Associated Press). They expanded over the next

year, but they were denied a mail route and forced to suspend passenger transport. In

1934, the company, “receive[d] Air Mail Route 24 from U.S. Post Office,” and continued

passenger services as Delta Air Lines (Charles Gay). A year later, Delta operates its

first passenger night flight in the dual pilot, Stinson Model A.

1942, “Delta contribute[d] to the war effort” (Charles Gay). They modified over

1000 aircraft, instruments, and engines as well as training pilots and technicians. Three

years later, in 1945, Delta was recognized by the National Safety Council for flying for
ten years without any fatalities. In 1947, their fleets upgraded to 644 available seats and

Type equation here . they receive the National Safety Award for flying more than half a

billion passenger miles without any fatality.

In 1953, “Chicago and Southern Air Lines merger brings Delta its first

international routes to the Caribbean and Caracas” (Charles Gay). Passengers would

be able to fly on Delta shuttles to their international flight. During the late 1950s, Delta

began their journey in the passenger jet service. “Delta [was the] first airline to launch

[the] Douglas DC-8 jet service” in 1959 (Charles Gay). Delta also received their triangle

logo the resembled the swept-wing appearance of a jet. In 1970 they introduce the

Boeing 747 for passenger service. Two years later, “Northeast Airlines merges with

Delta. Delta becomes a major carrier in New York and Boston, with direct routes from

New York and New England to Florida” (Associated Press).

In 1979, “Delta celebrates its 50th year of service [and] is the first airline in the

world to board 1 million passengers in one city in one month” (Charles Gay). Three

years later, Delta suffers their first financial losses by deducting 30 million dollars in

employee payroll to purchase their first Boeing 767 which was then named, “The Spirit

of Delta”. In 1987, “Delta merges with Western Airlines [and] becomes the fourth-largest

U.S. carrier and fifth largest in the world” (Associated Press).

The 1990s were a very important time period for Delta as they expanded into a

global carrier. In 1990 and 1991, “Delta was the first airline to offer MD-11 jet service”

and joined the civil air fleet to assist Desert Storm by, “carrying passengers and military

cargo”. They also purchased “the largest acquisition of flights in airline history” by

obtaining substantially all of Pan Am’s routes and the Pan Am Shuttle (Charles Gay).
This decision enabled Delta to become a global carrier. Two years later, in 1995, “the

Spirit of Delta” was repainted in an Olympic color scheme and was named “the official

airline of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games” (Charles Gay). It was also the first U.S.

carrier to voluntarily ban smoking on all flights, fly over 100 million passengers in a year,

and install automatic defibrillators on all of their aircraft.

The 2000s were a time for focusing on customer satisfaction by improving routes

and airport experience. In the year 2000, “[Delta] launches SkyTeam, a global alliance,

partnering with Aeromexico, Air France and Korean Air” (Charles Gay). The following

year they experience their first financial crisis in six years due to the two-day

suspension of air travel caused by 9/11. In 2002, they sponsored the Olympic Winter

Games and had another breakthrough in technology to better the customers.

“Technology advances [brought] convenience to customers through kiosks at check-in,

expanding gate information systems and virtual check-in on Delta.com” (Charles Gay).

Over the next three years, Delta continues to expand its company and better the

customer experience. “Delta leads the industry with a new model for passenger check-

in: lobby redesign, expanded kiosk use, the introduction of Delta Direct phone banks,

lobby assist agents, and new signs and processes to improve traffic flow” (Charles

Gay). These technological expansions continued throughout the rest of the 2000s.

2010 through 2018, Delta focused strongly on their profits and partnerships. In

2010, Delta created, “plans to invest more than $2 billion through 2013 to improve the

customer experience,” and in 2012, they were then, “The first airline to own a refinery”

to fuel their fleets (Charles Gay). In 2013, “[Delta] acquire[d] 49 percent stake in U.K.

airline Virgin Atlantic, a partnership that increases Delta's access to the important
London and trans-Atlantic markets” (Charles Gay). This was one of the key expansions

in the 2010s. Two years later in 2015, another expansion was made to Delta. “[They]

purchase[d] a 3.5% stake in China Eastern, expanding the airline’s presence and

customer choice in Asia’s largest market” (Charles Gay). In 2016, “Delta pays

employees $1.5 billion in profit sharing, the most in U.S. history. The airline commits to

donating 1% of its yearly net income to charity” (Charles Gay). Delta expanded once

again by investing 49% into Aeromexico in 2017 and launching a joint venture

partnership with Korean Air.

Delta continues to focus on customer satisfaction by improving everything from

flight service to the airports. “Delta is investing $12 million in game-changing airport

infrastructure projects and introducing industry-leading technology to redefine travel with

you in mind” by reconstructing their airport facilities for greater convenience and minimal

congestion (Sky Magazine). They provide easier boarding on most of their international

flights with biometric boarding. Delta’s Sky magazine states, “passengers can now

choose to board using facial recognition technology.” (Sky Magazine). Delta offers

nonstop service in 232 cities with a self-service bag drop off. At London Heathrow

Airport, Delta, “… offer[s] self-service bag drop off… helping customers check-in for

their flights quickly and efficiently” (Sky Magazine).

Delta has worked from an 18 airplane fleet of crop dusters to one of the largest

airlines in the world. Collette E. Woolman adopted Delta with a vision of opening a new

world of transportation and through many achievements he fulfilled his goal. With all

Delta is today, they plan to continue in their passion for finding new and better ways to

help their passengers have the safest and most enjoyable travel experience.
 Works Cited

Associated Press. “A Timeline of Key Events at Delta Air Lines.” Deseret News, 30 Apr. 2007,

www.deseret.com/2007/4/30/20015922/a-timeline-of-key-events-at-delta-air-lines

Accessed 15 Oct. 2019

Gay, Charles. “Delta's History: From Dusting Crops to Connecting the World.” Delta News Hub

23 Apr. 2016, news.delta.com/deltas-history-dusting-crops-connecting-world

Accessed 15 Oct. 2019

“30,000 Feet.” Sky Magazine. Delta 6 Oct. 2019.

view.imirus.com/209/document/13222/page/139

Accessed 15 Oct. 2019