Delta Air Lines Blog |

Fourth Day With Delta’s Force For Global Good

November 20th, 2009 by kelvin c | No Comments →

Hello everyone,
Today was the fourth day of our build in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and we were awakened with our usual daily wake-up call—the wonderful smells of chicken with cashew nuts, fried dough with sweetened sauce and dark roast coffee.

Our group has fully united as one Delta Force for Global Good by spending long days working in the intense sun of beautiful Chiang Mai—spending our time building walls brick by brick for our families, much like adding rungs to the ladder of opportunity and hope we’ve now helped provide by giving these families their own homes.

And as long as one has hope, anything can be accomplished. Khun Kumbao, the future owner of the home and his family, have been working side by side with us and a renewed sense of hope.

Working so closely with the family throughout this week has helped us develop strong relationship with the family. Last night was particularly special as the family joined us for dinner, where we met their children for the first time.

Not only have we bonded with the family, but our team has gotten the chance to really gel, we built not only working relationships but also lasting friendships.

Along with brick and mortar homes, we built the foundation and the stepping stones of success. But we have to ask the question of what does one define as success? For some it is to have to the career of their dreams and go to college, but for our Habitat families, success to them comes down to having the most basic necessities like a roof over their heads and a safe neighborhood where they can raise their children.

All of the families of this build will always be part of the Delta family and will remain in our thoughts and prayers forever.

Being of Thai heritage, this trip has been very meaningful in the sense that it has allowed me to connect with my native country on a new and personal level. My family is Thai and it makes one proud to be part of such a great cause. Sir Winston Churchill once said, “Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.”

I am proud to be associated with this great cause and this great company, one that adds both joy and glory to climb.

Kelvin C., Global Assistance Center, ATL

Hanging Tough On Day 3

November 20th, 2009 by Scott J | No Comments →

NYC based pilot and blogger, Scott J.

My mom used to say, “Do something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” And while it’s rare to find experiences that are more meaningful and purpose-giving than making a difference in the lives of others, even more rare is the opportunity to pair doing something you love that also has meaningful purpose. The Habitat for Humanity build here in Chiang Mai is the epitome of both. Yes, our build site feels like it’s ten degrees from the center of the sun, and humidity is our constant partner, but we’re sustained by the joy and satisfaction we’re witnessing as a community grows from the ground up in mere days.

Our third day on the project was decidedly less hot and humid than the previous ones—a quite welcomed break. The first two days spent laying brick and mortar today gave way to working with steel, as we placed each metal truss that will become the roof.

The work was sometimes tedious but highly rewarding. This was the third day in a row I’ve felt the communal pride that’s formed as strangers with little knowledge of each others language unite as friends and coworkers in common purpose.

The Thai people we’ve met are of remarkable and uncommon humility and graciousness, and we all know the families are pleased with our work and progress. The Delta teams’ houses are taking shape much as the rest of the homes in the village are, albeit at a slightly faster pace than the majority. Tomorrow the shelter will be evident, and as this community of concrete, bricks and steel take shape into livable personal spaces, you witness sweat equity bringing tears to the eyes of the families—and our teams.

An anecdotal note: Thai chili peppers completely live up to their reputation! The food we’ve had on this trip has been delicious and flavorful—making Thailand worth a trip, from top to bottom, just for the love of amazing food.

Scott J., NYC based pilot

Image of the Week: 1934 Delta/Eastern Schedule

November 20th, 2009 by Marie Force | No Comments →

Browsing through the Delta Archives for exhibit images, I turned up this wonderful 1934 joint schedule from Delta and Eastern for travel from New York to Dallas via Atlanta. Click here to see front & back.

In the same folder with the schedule was a perspective on air travel by longtime Delta engineer Art Ford in 1976. Passengers traveling from New York to Dallas in 1934, were in for a ride, writes Ford:

“You first rode in an Eastern T-34 Condor to Atlanta, and then connected to a Delta Stinson Trimotor for the rest of the journey. And what a journey it was! You took off and landed 15 times; you spent 19 hours enroute; you bounced around in the hot air thermals at 3,000 to 5,000 feet strapped in a wicker chair with a sickness cup handy. You went blindly through thunderstorms and frequently diverted to alternate airports.

Bad as it was, it was still progress. The alternate was black soot [by train] or boiling radiator [by car] and a journey 5 to 6 times as long. . .

Today [in 1976], your New York to Dallas flight is a non-stop jet at 600 miles per hour and 38,000 feet. It is a fast, comfortable and reliable flight. With a travel time of 3 1/2 hours . . . you have truly witnessed the miracle of scheduled air transportation’s progress.”

2009 marks 50 Years of Delta Jet Service. Happy jetting!

Marie Force

Archives Manager

Day Two And Going Strong!

November 19th, 2009 by Debbie S | No Comments →

I am a recently hired employee of Delta, joining the Company in October 2008, and serve as a Ready Reserve in Little Rock, Arkansas. When the announcement calling for volunteers to help with the Habitat for Humanity build in Chiang Mai went out, I was excited to apply and pleased and honored to one of the applicants selected.

My fellow Delta team members come from not only many U.S. states, but from around the world. And we are building alongside over 2,000 other volunteers who have traveled from all corners of the globe including New Zealand, Ireland and Saudi Arabia.

There are six Delta teams building six of the total 82 houses being completed this week. I am a member of the Tai Tens team. We have several other volunteers working with us including a 69 year old retired microbiologist from Oregon who now lives in Thailand. In addition to her, we’ve met many other folks from around the world working together helping families achieve a safe and stable home.

On day two of the build, we worked together with the family—husband, Chochai, and wife, Wanlee,–with mudding, stacking, and grouting the bricks in preparation for day three, when we will raise a roof over the house. Our house is located next to the one on which former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, are working on. As I’ve watched them, I’m amazed at their stamina and endurance while working in the sun, building almost unnoticed among all of the many volunteers here to help families.

This project is an incredible experience— one that I will always remember. I am thankful that Delta has afforded me this opportunity to participate and for the dedication of Delta’s continued assistance to partner with Habitat to end homelessness in the world.