Aviation milestoneDelta passenger finds 100 million her very lucky numberATLANTA (CNN) -- Margaret Mack boarded Delta Flight 680 Monday morning, heading home from Dallas after a weekend job there. When she stepped off the plane in Atlanta, the Conyers, Georgia, resident was a celebrity: Delta's 100 millionth passenger in 1997. It was the first time in aviation history that an airline had carried 100 million passengers in a single year. Mack was greeted by Delta president and CEO Leo F. Mullin, who presented her with a prize package that included unlimited air travel on Delta until the year 2000, $1,000 in American Express Gift Cheques, and 90 days of unlimited Airfone service from GTE. Mack's fellow passengers aboard Flight 680 benefitted as well, receiving a certificate good for one Delta coach class ticket for travel within the United States, $100 American Express Gift Cheque and a $10 GTE Air-Land Card. Mack is a freelance electronic graphic artist. She was in Dallas working with the Fox network's coverage of Sunday's National Football League game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants. Mullin also announced that Delta would donate one million miles to each of the airline's SkyWish charities, along with five other charities in five Delta cities. Delta's SkyWish charities are CARE, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Make-A-Wish International, United Way of America and United Way International. Delta launched its first passenger flight on June 17, 1929, and flew its 100 millionth passenger over four decades later. Less than 30 years after that milestone, the airline has boarded 100 million passengers in a single year. Delta operates more than 4,900 flights a day to 322 cities in 42 countries. On its way to Monday's 100 millionth customer, the airline has operated over 925,000 daily departures, using 2.5 billion gallons of fuel and serving 34 million meals and 270 million beverages. 
Related site:
© 1997 Cable News Network, Inc. Terms under which this service is provided to you. |
