Earth Day provides a great opportunity for us as an airline to reflect on the importance of sustainability efforts in our industry. We’re proud to say we’ve made a lot of progress in recent years, yet remain aware of the work still ahead of us.

What do our current efforts look like? We have a broad array of sustainability efforts helping us toward our goal of operating an environmentally responsible airline. One of the most visible, because it happens right before your eyes, is our in-flight recycling effort.

Our program, launched in 2007, diverts aluminum cans, plastic cups, plastic bottles, newspapers and magazines collected on board our aircraft from landfills in 26 U.S. cities. And we’re happy to report our dedicated flight attendants, catering staff and cabin service employees successfully recycled 554 tons of material last year!

We also have a lot of programs that you don’t see, like a waste minimization program on the ground. And the numbers add up! Last year, for example, our employees recycled nearly 600 tons of waste at our headquarters here in Atlanta.

We know we have a long way to go before we achieve our goal of operating an environmentally-responsible airline, but with our dedicated employees and customers leading the way, we’re seeing significant improvements every year in our fuel efficiency, reductions in carbon emissions and recycling efforts.

So let’s take a moment today to acknowledge the progress we’ve made, while always mindful of the work ahead of us.

Helen Howes

Managing Director, Safety, Health and Environment

This week we were excited to complete the painting of our final mainline aircraft in our world famous three-dimensional, red Widget flying across a blue background (since 2007, about 729 mainline aircraft have been painted!)

Charles Thompson, a maintenance professional in Delta TechOps, helped put the finishing touches on the MD-88, which went back in service yesterday. I sat down with Charles to learn more about the process and his role here at Delta.

What do you do for Delta TechOps?

I paint Delta aircraft as well as aircraft for Delta’s maintenance customers.

How many years have you worked for Delta and what areas have you worked in?

This month is my 13th anniversary with Delta ! With the exception of two years of service on the TechOps Employee Council, I have been a part of paint shop since my date of hire in April of 1998.

What’s your favorite part about your job as a painter for TechOps?

An aircraft painter’s skill is often measured in how slick or glossy the final product is. We maintain a healthy competition within our painting department regarding gloss. I love that about my job!

What’s the coolest project you’ve ever been part of?

I was lucky enough to be a part of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation project. I attend the air show in Peachtree City each year and I get to brag to my friends about which part I painted during each flyby.  

What was it like to be part of painting Delta’s last flowing fabric livery into the new one?

I think we all have a sense of accomplishment. Our main objective as a department, for the last 14 years, has been to get the fleet painted into one paint livery. Obviously we are excited!

What’s something cool that you get to do as part of your job that most people don’t know about?

When I talk to people about painting at Delta, one thing they are consistently surprised by is that everything on the aircraft is painted; the signboard, “n” number, ship numbers, even the flag is painted on. We don’t put stickers on our aircraft.

Over the years, how many aircraft have you’ve painted?

We paint approximately 100 aircraft per year. So, all of them twice! (Almost)

Ashley B.

TechOps Communications

For several years we’ve celebrated Earth Day (April 22) by matching carbon offset donations from our customers. In fact, we were the first U.S. airline to enable you to offset the carbon dioxide emissions from your flights, and we’re proud to continue the tradition again this year with our environmental partner The Nature Conservancy. So, when you make an offset through delta.com this April, we’ll match all donations up to $25,000!

To donate when booking your next flight, select “Learn More” under “A Greener Way to Fly” at the bottom of your confirmation page. You can also support The Nature Conservancy by making additional contributions, donating SkyMiles through our SkyWish program, or joining their online community to learn more about how you can help protect our world.

The Tensas River Basin in Louisiana, site of Delta and The Nature Conservancy

Last year our efforts raised more than $50,000 for The Nature Conservancy’s efforts for Earth Day, and with your help we know we can beat that mark this year!

Have you offset the emissions from your flight? If so, we’d love to know about it and learn more about the other ways you’re reducing your carbon footprint.

Aaron Robinson
Emissions and Sustainability