Tag Archives: aviation friends

Korean Air inaugurates A380 service to Atlanta

Posted on September 2, 2013 | 1 comment

It had been a long time coming. The arrival of the Airbus A380 to ATL, that is. While other airports welcomed the A380 with opened runways and taxiways, ATL wasn’t ready or prepared for the arrival of the world’s largest passenger airplane.

The title of a 2005 article in AccessNorthGa summed it up: “Airbus A380 won’t be landing in Atlanta anytime soon”. During this time airport general manager, Ben DeCosta stated ATL is not approved to land the A380 and didn’t think the market could support the double-decker superjumbo. Furthermore, it would also cost millions of dollars to widen taxiways and install additional jetways to help offload passengers on this plane which can accommodate between 500-800. Back then airport spokeswoman Felicia Browder said, “It’s just not the time or place. That’s just the mind of the (airport’s) leadership right now.”

Fast forward to September 1, 2013. After a few cancelled announcements of the commencement of A380 service to Atlanta, Korean Air finally touched down at Atlanta to much fanfare.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. So, here are a few pictures celebrating the arrival of KE 35 to Atlanta.

To see the FULL celebration visit our Flickr page by clicking here. Enjoy!

1 Comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

That’s a Purdy Neat story!

Posted on July 23, 2013 | 6 comments
Where, on a regular basis, can you meet a movie star, movie producer, actress, father, mother, triathlete, veteran, lawyer, doctor, author, ballet dancer, therapist, or accomplished opera singer? If you’re thinking LA or New York City, you’d be wrong! The hotspot we’re referring to is Crew Outfitters. And it’s not a single location but multiple locations around the US. The well-travelled, successful, very connected clientele who frequently shop at its locations are mostly crew members from many of the world’s airlines. And you never who you’ll bump into. And speaking of movie stars, Denzel Washington and the production crew from the Oscar-nominated film “Flight”, shopped at the main Atlanta location for accessories and props for the filming of this intense aviation film.
Main store location - Atlanta, GA

Main Store location – Atlanta, GA

Started in 1991 as the “Flight Station”, Crew Outfitters (renamed in 2003) is a growing collection of retail establishments dedicated to crew members. Crew Outfitters sells travel accessories, luggage, uniforms, and many other travel-related items.

Crew Outfitters Main Store - Atlanta, GA

Crew Outfitters Main Store – Atlanta, GA

It all began in the garage of Rick Latshaw. Rick was a TWA flight who was determined to build a piece of rolling luggage for flight crews that would be durable, functional, and useful. So, in his garage in Purdy, Missouri, he designed and invented the first “Purdy Neat Things” bag (PNT). It was after the design phase that Rick met Jerry Baker (current CFO LuggageWorks). Jerry was instrumental in assisting Latshaw in setting up what would become the world famous Purdy Neat Things bag.

Enter Steve Merritt, Delta flight attendant. Steve was the catalyst who assisted Latshaw in establishing and solidifying the connection with Delta and its crew members. Through their dedication, Delta became the first major airline to offer, the popular and now discontinued, payroll deduct (think shop now, pay later) for PNT rolling luggage.

During the initial rollout phase of the luggage, Delta pilots began purchasing, and traveling with, Purdy Neat Things bags. It was through word-of-mouth and a great piece of rolling luggage that word began to spread about how useful, durable and amazing these bags were. One of the instrumental Delta pilots to buy and use the bag early on was Tal Fogg. The rest as they say is history. (Remember the name Tal Fogg, you’ll hear it again when we conduct an interview with the current President of Crew Outfitters, April Krantz).

As is the story of aviation, there have been many changes since Rick Latshaw designed the first PNT bag.

Many may not be familiar with LuggageWorks. LuggageWorks was founded in 1989 under the name of Purdy Neat Things. LuggageWorks opened Flight Station as a way to sell the PNT bags. Its mission was to manufacture superior rolling bags that would be preferred by airline crew members. They did this by providing the highest quality rolling bags and accessories. In fact, the “Stealth” Pilot Bag is the only metal frame rolling bag in the industry and is preferred by tens of thousands of airline pilots. Denzel Washington’s character, Whip Whitaker, can be seen sporting a Stealth bag in the film “Flight.” The Stealth Pilot Bag is one of the top-selling items carried by Crew Outfitters.

Captain Whip Whitaker sporting PNT "Stealth" bag

Captain Whip Whitaker sporting PNT “Stealth” bag

Crew Outfitters locations include:
• Atlanta (3 locations)
• Cincinnati
• Dallas (2 locations)
• Detroit
• Houston
• Miami
• Minneapolis

Many crew members have expressed a desire for Crew Outfitters to open locations on the West coast as well as the NYC area. Please know that Crew Outfitters is listening and is continually looking for growth opportunities. Crew Outfitters is dedicated to offering quality products and outstanding customer service to meet the needs of flight crew members, airline personnel, and enthusiasts all over the world.

We invite you to visit their website for luggage, accessories, and some really cool aviation-themed gifts: www.crewoutfitters.com

The airlineguys partnership with Crew Outfitters began in 2006 when airlineguy Darin worked directly with April Krantz and Crew Outfitters providing swag/accessories for a flight attendant tradeshow. The relation has blossomed into a close working relationship including designing and implementing team building activities, product research/development, instructional videos, and friendship. You can even catch us at the airport location on A Concourse in Atlanta. Like all of our partners, we do our best to provide the best in customer service in a fun, engaging way.
 
Now, that’s a Purdy Neat story!
 
Sylvester & Darin
The airlineguys

6 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Following a Dream…liner (on the hunt for the 787 Dreamliner)

Posted on June 18, 2013 | 2 comments

The 787 is taunting me. Teasing me. In fact she’s being downright elusive. Ever since the 787 Dreamliner was introduced by Boeing it has been our goal, as the airlineguys, to fly on this revolutionary, highly technical airplane. After years of delays and issues with the lithium-ion batteries, which grounded the entire fleet worldwide, the 787 made a triumphant return to the skies on April 29, 2013 with Ethiopian Airlines.

IMG_2670Currently, United Airlines is the only US-based carrier flying the 787. When United introduced the Dreamliner they were flown on domestic routes to test its reliability and serviceability. After the much talked about grounding, the 787 was re-introduced to the domestic sector, again to test reliability, serviceability, and to monitor the lithium-ion battery fix. As planned from the outset, United’s 787s were designed as an international long-haul product.

So, it was with excitement when United announced that the Dreamliner would fly domestically until the summer schedule went in to full effect, at which time the 787s would fly their intended routes, international. It was our chance to fly this magnificent plane. Unfortunately airlineguy Darin couldn’t join me on this adventure (we gotta get him on a 787 soon!).

The first attempt to fly the 787 was a bust! I didn’t make the flight out of Atlanta to make the connecting 787 flight in Houston. Talk about being majorly bummed. Not wanting to take any chances on the second attempt, I flew to Houston the night before and got a hotel room.

So, now here was my dilemma: standby for the early (7a) IAH – ORD flight, or take the mid-morning (11a) IAH – ORD flight. Against everything I know when it comes to standby travel, I chose the mid-morning flight. (@FriendlyStew and @NonRevAdventure I’ll take your advice next time). All seemed fine until I woke up the next morning to find out that the 11a departure had an equipment swap from a 787 to a 757. Oh, the horror! Again, majorly bummed.

I’m an optimist.  I did some research, made some calls, and sent a few frantic text messages. Much to my delight there was a late afternoon (4p) 787 flight from IAH – ORD. With camera in hand, a positive frame of mind, I headed to IAH for a day of people watching and planespotting. Besides getting on the 787, could you ask for anything more entertaining?

In the hours (about 5) spent at IAH here’s what happened:
• took loads of airplane pics
• was fascinated people watching (amazed how each airport has its own “personality”)
• bumped into 3 aviation professionals who attended a customer service training class I helped facilitate (besides being #avgeeks, the airlineguys are aviation consultants specializing in customer service)
• recognized and reconnected with a high school friend who is an RN and who now is a United pilot (I’m still reeling from this chance encounter and so happy to be reconnected with Mark!)

As you can see, my time spent at the airport waiting for the 787 was well worth it. Yes, she was being elusive, but I had come so far and was not about to give up now.

When I received my seat I was beyond excited: window, exit row.

Here are my thoughts on taking my first United 787 flight:

• First impression — gorgeous
• Mood lighting upon boarding —  soothing (there are 6 settings: boarding, meals, relaxing, cruise, sleep, preloading)
• Layout of FC – spacious (this is where I want to be on my next 787 flight!)
• E+ — roomy, relaxing hues of blue and grays throughout the cabin
• Windows — most were darkened already, customers began experimenting with the window “shades”, impressed with how the tint changes from transparent to opaque with the touch of a button, the size of windows (30% larger according to infographic card in seat pocket) was very noticeable — when seated you had an unobstructed view of the horizon (no craning of neck to look up or down)
• Sound — very taken with how quiet this plane was at takeoff and cruise altitude (60% less noise than planes of comparable size), it was so quiet I could clearly hear the crying kid a few rows back, noise-reducing chevrons on engine nacelles contributes to reducing noise levels of the engines
• Wing — loved the wingflex, sliced right through the air even in mild turbulence
• Crew — friendly and efficient, had nice conversation with Edwin who too is from South Florida, and Sandy was kind to take my picture
• Food — ordered the Tapas snack box, Bloody Mary, water, crew were proficient with handheld devices
• IFE — full selection of films, TV, music, moving map, UA services/amenities, a full system reset was completed on at least 2 occasions
• Landed on time, to gate after short delay due to ramp congestion

A special thank you to ticket agent Heather P (great eye contact, smiled, knowledgeable in job duties) and gate agent Ms. Matthews (smiled, accommodating, calming announcements). They made the check in and boarding process pleasant.

Overall, an awesome passenger experience and a wonderful introduction to the Boeing 787! Would love to take a long-haul flight to experience the 787s feature of increased oxygen and humidity of the cabin air (lessens the effects of jet lag we hear). Hint, hint 😉

Thanks United for an awesome experience!

airlineguy Sylvester

IMG_2663

2 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Preserving the wonder of flight – American Airlines CR Smith Museum

Posted on April 28, 2013 | Leave a comment

As we know, many airlines have come and gone. Change is a constant in the airline industry. Because of all the changes, the details of the past can quickly slip away. It’s great knowing that airlines have set up shrines to avgeeks the world over in the form of airline museums. One such place is the American Airlines CR Smith* Museum located near DFW Airport. We had been wanting to visit this museum for quite some time and the opportunity arose to visit.

Opened in 1993, this interactive museum chronicles the storied past of American Airlines.

Highlights of the museum include:

• a flight simulator where you can pilot your flight (there was a line, so didn’t get the opportunity to experience this exhibit)
• FA uniforms from different periods (the “Astrojet” period FA uniform was a favorite)
• an interactive kids area (being a kid at heart, I did pick up the crayons and created my own work of art)
• a 15 minute, heart-warming, patriotic film about American (the air-to-air visuals are spectacular)
• and the pièce de résistance – a fully restored DC-3 (Flagship Knoxville)

Another highlight of the visit: The Volunteers

It was such a pleasure to meet Betty, Foster, and Kyle. They made the visit exceptional. Betty greeted me as soon as I walked in and proceeded to give me a personalized overview of the museum. She asked question of me, used my name often, told me about the history of the museum, and shared with me her time as an American employee. Lovely lady. Then there was Kyle. A young student intern who felt very “fortunate” to be working in this particular museum. And I can’t say enough about Foster. He started with American in 1943 as a mechanic, became a flight engineer, and retired after 50 years. He was so kind and shared snippets of what it was like to work for an airline in the golden era. A true gem.

Perfect for a day trip or for those who may have a few hours layover at DFW. We highly recommend!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The museum is opened Tuesday – Saturday 9a – 5p, and seasonally on Sundays (1p – 5p From Memorial Day to Labor Day). For further information it’s best to visit the museum website at:

www.crsmithmuseum.org

*CR Smith – Cyrus Rowlett Smith (in case you were wondering)

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

An Unlikely Resting Place

Posted on January 20, 2013 | 2 comments

An Unlikely Resting Place

Nestled between two runways, at the world’s busiest airport, you’ll find an unlikely resting place. Between the takeoffs and landings of RJs and jumbo jets you’ll find a place that’s serene, peaceful, and reflective. It’s the Flat Rock Cemetery.

IMG_1991

Having lived in Atlanta in the early 90s, we knew of this cemetery and the area that surrounded it. During the early 90s, and before the latest airport expansion took place, this area was home to many families. Single family homes, cottages, and apartment buildings were shaded by oaks and pecan trees. Today this area is unrecognizable. Gone are the homes, schools, parks, and most of the trees. One thing that hasn’t changed is the Flat Rock Cemetery.

We visited the Flat Rock Cemetery recently to take a look around. And here’s what we learned.

The Flat Rock Community was settled just before the Civil War by inhabitants who were farmers. In the year 1872 they establish the Flat Rock Baptist Church and erected the first building in 1875. Over the years the congregation grew. However, in the 1960s as the Atlanta Airport began to expand the congregation of Flat Rock Baptist began to dwindle. By 1970 the land of Flat Rock Baptist, except the cemetery, was sold to the City of Atlanta. The oldest marker is  from the year 1877.

Of the pics taken at the Cemetery, this one has to be the most fascinating. If you look closely you’ll see a green apparition. Not one to believe in such things, seeing this has really freaked me out. The pic has been shared with those into psychic and paranormal activity and some of the things that have come back have been interesting. One clairvoyant says, “it’s been around for awhile, seems very active with spirits (some good, some not so much), there’s an uncomfortable yet calming feeling about this pic.” We showed the pic to a medium and she said, “First impression, angelic guardianship of the souls there. Second, healing of souls there.”

IMG_2010

While at the Cemetery one of the most profound moments was seeing the grave markers for the Thrailkill children. Four of their children all passed away within the first year of their lives. The medium tends to think it may be one of the the children.

I know many people don’t believe in this type of phenomena, and this is understandable. All I’m doing is reporting what was observed on this visit to the Flat Rock Cemetery.

The next time you’re in Atlanta and have time we encourage you to swing by and take a look around. Not only is this a historical place and peaceful place, it’s also a great place to watch planes take off from the world’s busiest airport.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

2 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Will the real Debbie Delta please stand up!

Posted on November 4, 2012 | 1 comment

In the summer of 2011 a friend, and fellow airlineguy, and I took a train excursion on Amtrak from Chicago to Seattle on the California Zephyr and Coast Starlight (read about that here). However, it was on the flight from Atlanta to Chicago that we met a flight attendant named Debbie. She was no ordinary Debbie. She was Debbie Delta!

“Debbie Delta” is a nickname given to a FA who is Delta through and through. She’s Southern. Gracious. Loves her job. And loves Delta! We’ve met a couple of Debbie Delta’s that are guys, but that’s another story we can share later.

This Debbie was all of the aforementioned. She was kind. Talkative Thoughtful. Funny; a real spitfire. As we got to know her on the flight she let us know that she was from Monroe, Louisiana – The Home of Delta Air Lines. How cool is that! Think about it. What are the chances that Debbie from Monroe, Louisana; would one day go to work for Delta as a FA, and become a real Debbie Delta? Will the real Debbie Delta please stand up!

The other day while at Crew Outfitters Debbie stopped by. We immediately recognized each other. It was so nice to see her. Having not seen each other since that flight from Atlanta to Chicago back in 2011, we had lots of catching up to do. One of the things we shared was that she had just celebrated her 38th year of flying! After 38 years, she stills enjoys her job. Loves the customer interactions. Loves Delta. You’d think with this kind of seniority she’d be flying international. But no, she’s done her share of international flying and chooses now to fly domestic trips (“nothing over two and a half hours”). That’s the beauty of this job – there’s a little bit for everyone.

We also shared some pics from back in the day when she began her flying career. From what we hear there were some crazy, fun times in the lower galley of the L1011! To have been a flight attendant during the 70s would have been the best – the colorful interiors, the funky uniforms, the numerous domestic widebody flights, the well-behaved passengers. Ahhh…

Lower galley L1011 – early 1970s. Look at those regulation shoes! 🙂

Seeing Debbie was special. It got us to thinking though. Okay, we know the nickname for Delta FAs who are engaged, love their jobs, love their airline – Debbie Delta’s.

airlineguys and Debbie Delta

Help us out fellow avgeeks, What names are giving to FAs at other airlines who embody that particular airlines’ culture?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

1 Comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , ,

Yes!

Posted on August 31, 2012 | Leave a comment

Yesterday we were speaking with a flight attendant, when Darin asked her how long she’d been flying. At 39 years we were impressed. She let us know that she began her flying career 39 years ago at Hughes Airwest. Having grown up in the West (Phoenix and Vegas), Darin was very familiar with the airline that was “Top Banana”. As conversation continued she let us in on a little known secret; she had a small part in a Hughes Airwest commercial. We were like, “Which one?” She said are you familiar with the “Yes” commercial? And we were like YES! So, we immediately went to YouTube and there she was!

Ulda says “Yes!”

We love old airline commercials. The dancing. The singing. The jingles. Everyone, the crew, the passengers; seemed like they were having the best time. Maybe that’s why we like these commercials so much. Today’s  airline commercials pale in comparison to the airline commercials of yesteryear.

As it turns out Ulda was very fascinating. In 39 years she’s flown all over the world. Nowadays she flies mostly South American routes. From our conversation it’s obvious she still enjoys her job. When we asked her what has kept her in the business for 39 years her response was, “”Places to go. People to meet.” She mentioned how everyday is an adventure and that she’s a gypsy at heart; always on the go, always looking for a new experience. When asked what the biggest challenge was with flying, she said that the traveling public doesn’t quite understand the role of the flight attendant anymore.

It’s pretty amazing the things you can learn about people when you take the time to listen and share. Thanks Ulda!

airlineguys & Ulda

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , ,

Air Hollywood

Posted on August 24, 2012 | 2 comments

Air Hollywood

Air Hollywood

About 3 weeks ago we read an article about a little known company named Air Hollywood. The article was about their “K-9 Flight School” whereby they train dogs to be comfortable in and around airports and airplanes. As lovers of dogs we were very intrigued. As lovers of all things aviation (some would say we’re geeks), we were enthralled by Air Hollywood. We promptly connected with Air Hollywood to inquire about taking a tour of this very unique studio. To our surprise, and delight, they answered our inquiry with enthusiasm. We quickly set up a visit.

Nestled in an industrial park near Northridge CA, a suburb of Los Angeles, is an unassuming studio. There are no ornate gates to welcome you, no electric golf carts whizzing executives from set to set, no reserved parking spaces with famous movie stars names emblazoned on them. What we found was a small team of enthusiastic, funny, accommodating folks charting a path as a niche studio.

Air Hollywood, which opened in 2001, is the world’s largest aviation-themed studio. Their client list includes major motion picture studios, television networks, and film schools from around the globe. Films and commercials utilizing Air Hollywood’s sets and props include: “Elizabethtown” starring Kirsten Dunst and Orlando Bloom; critically acclaimed TV series “Lost”; comedy film “Bridesmaids” starring Kristen Wiig; and the Ameriquest commercial, “Don’t Judge Too Quickly”, to name a few. In addition to airplane mock-ups, Air Hollywood provides airport terminal sets, prop rentals, set design, a fear of flying program, and they license stock footage. Very ambitious to say the least.

Leading the team is founder and CEO Talaat Captan; a movie producer who experienced the challenges first-hand of filming in and around airports. And these challenges became more evident after the events of September 11th. It was through these challenging experiences that Talaat set out to create an aviation world that would be very realistic and one that would be much easier to work within. And hence, Air Hollywood took off.

The rest of the team included Rachel, Morgan, Matt, and Toshi. All affable and accommodating. And let’s not forget Lucky, Talaat’s adorable little dog that was visiting the office for the day.

It was Rachel, the set booking agent who’s responsible for PR and marketing at Air Hollywood, who gave us the behind-the-scenes tour. She was knowledgeable and excited about leading us on the tour.

The tour began with a visit to a narrowbody (single aisle) mock-up. Once inside we were told that the interior of each of the mock-ups could be custom designed for the needs of the client or specifically configured for a specific airline. We also learned that the ceiling could be removed and the aisle widened, if needed, to accommodate lighting and cameras when filming. The mock-up included galleys, lavatories, and a cockpit. The cockpit was “open” such that filming could take place from all angles. This gave new meaning to the term “glass cockpit”. A unique feature of this mock-up was the ability to create “turbulence”. Huh? Through airbags housed underneath the mock-up platform, compressed gas could be sent to the airbags allowing for the entire mock-up to shake, rattle, and roll. While we didn’t get the opportunity to see it firsthand, we were informed that turbulence could be set on a scale of 1 to 10. And Rachel said 3 was pretty intense.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We then moved on to the “terminal”. Inside the terminal we found a check-in counter, waiting area with seats, and a security check point complete with magnetometers. Rachel explained that through strategic positioning of seats, signage, and flooring, many different looks and effects can be achieved.

The next mock-up we visited was also a narrowbody, however, it included a first class section. This mock-up, like the previous one, had moveable ceiling panels, real overhead bins, and a cockpit. And what a cockpit it was! This particular cockpit was THE cockpit used for the filming of the movie Airplane! Talk about excited! Surely we had to take a picture in this piece of aviation and film history. And don’t call me Shirley. Roger that. Roger Roger.

THE airlineguys inside THE Airplane! cockpit

Moving on from the narrowbody mock-up, we now visited a widebody (dual aisle) mock-up. The layout was that of a Boeing 767. The cabin was…spacious. If only…but we digress. On this set, the crash scene from the critically acclaimed TV series “Lost” was filmed; an intense scene made all the more real because of the details of the set provided by Air Hollywood. The widebody mock-up also includes a jetway. A few scenes of the comedy “Bridesmaids” was filmed on this jetway and inside this widebody mock-up.

Next came the props department. This was an immense area that housed a Lear jet mock-up and items needed to dress the set. There were various luggage styles categorized by period. So, if a scene called for luggage from the 70s, they have it. There was signage from various airlines. Signage also came in different colors and languages. There were telephones and telephone booths. Beverage and food carts of varying sizes included glassware and snacks that would never go stale (they were plastic). There were newspaper stands with newspapers. Need a smartcarte to haul your luggage? They had those too! Looking for a place to check in for your flight? Kiosks and ticket/gate counters were numerous. It was almost too much, yet we didn’t want to leave!

On the tour we also saw a room for hair and makeup for the actors, and a holding room for the extras who serve as passengers.

After our whirlwind tour of the facilities we had the opportunity to sit with Talaat, the CEO and founder of Air Hollywood. This man is passionate about aviation! As he spoke it was like listening to ourselves speak. He told of us of his love of all things aviation. He shared his experiences in the film industry. His love of dogs and how important the “K-9 Flight School” is to him really struck a chord in us…what a great service! Talaat also shared his desire to grow Air Hollywood’s list of services including the “Fear Of Flying Program”.

He then asked about us. We told him about our experiences in aviation (as former cabin crew, facilitators, PR ambassadors, and our penchant for discerning excellent customer service). We also shared our goal of the airlineguys: To create a community of like-minded people who love aviation; who love what air travel means (experiences that can broaden the mind and change you in a positive way); a community that chooses to focus on the positive aspects of air travel instead of the negative. And through our experiences and connections with other like-minded people, we can bring light to this often maligned marvel of physics and power.

The 3 of us agreed…we’re geeks. Avgeeks!

airlineguys Darin, Talaat, Sylvester

http://www.airhollywood.com

2 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Deltalina: down-to-earth girl or superstar? The chat w/ the airlineguys continues (Part 2)

Posted on June 26, 2012 | 3 comments

Here’s Part 2 of our chat with Katherine…

Down-to-earth girl

Superstar

AG: Here’s a big question for you. (long pause) Do you like being a superstar?

KL: I am not a superstar. I’m just in my own mind, and that’s where it’s important. (laughter)

AG: Speaking of being a superstar, where did the “Deltalina” moniker come from?

KL: There was a super sweet woman on FlyerTalk that started it and said that I resembled a little bit of Angelina Jolie, and she mixed that with Delta. So, Deltalina. I’ll be compared to Angelina Jolie any day!

AG: We find you more beautiful than her!

KL: Stop it!…I’ll pay you later! (laughter) I love it! I love it! So, yeah that started, oh my gosh, 3 and a half years ago and it just stuck. So, it’s amazing that more people go, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s Deltalina!’ There are quite a few that don’t know my name. So, it’s really cute.

AG: So, do you prefer to go by Deltalina or Katherine Lee?

KL: Deltalina’s cute. It works. I like it.

AG: So, what’s next for Deltalina? You have any plans for her?

KL: You know what? I’m just enjoying my time at Delta.

AG: Let’s talk about the Delta video. The Delta safety video. We would have to say it’s probably the most watched safety video of all time. We checked this morning and there were over 2.6M views on YouTube. And that’s just YouTube. Think of all the people who’ve seen the video on the airplanes.

KL: That’s crazy!

AG: When you think back to this whole phenomena of Deltalina and the finger wag, is this what you expected when you did the video?

KL: Oh, heaven’s no! I don’t think anybody expected it to be this big. I mean, not even Delta. No. Absolutely not. And all the opportunities it has offered me have been amazing. The people that I’ve met. But never in a million years would I think that I’d be at the Munich Airport and someone would recognize me going, ‘Oh my gosh! That’s the girl from the video!’ I mean, I’m recognized all over the world and to me that’s bizarre, but great! It’s bizarre that people actually watch that video the way they do.

AG: Does that make you uncomfortable in a way when people know who you are? Just walking with you on our way to interview you, we could see people looking at you with a sense of recognition. Has that ever made you feel uncomfortable or awkward?

KL: Only when I have a really bad hair day or I have really bad skin going on or I leave my zipper open by accident. That’s the only time it’s embarrassing! (laughter). “Deltalina just walked by me and her zipper was open!” (laughter) That’s the stuff that I always worry about! Like oh my gosh, what if they catch me picking my nose? That’s the kind of stuff that makes me hyper-aware, the way that I look when I’m walking around. Like always having a smile on my face. Yeah, there’s just not a bad day for me here.

AG: It’s hard to walk in slow motion and have your hair blowing all the time too!

KL: Exactly! Because that fan gets really heavy! (lots of laughter)

AG: How has your life changed since this video went viral and took off and Deltalina became who she is?

KL: I have been able to do so many marketing events representing Delta, which has been incredibly fun. You know variety is the spice of life. Not only am I an instructor, I fly and I also do marketing. And that’s has been really, really a lot of fun representing Delta in that capacity. It’s been wonderful. Meeting new people. It’s been good. It’s offered me more variety than what I do in my work life which has been incredibly fun.

AG: I’m not sure if you remember, but I remember having a conversation with you during our time at Song, and you mentioned that you had always wanted to be in a safety video. You said it had always been a dream of yours. You were like, ‘I don’t even need a speaking role just a part in it.’

KL: Yes, I remember.

AG: Now that this has come to past, what are your thoughts about pursuing what you want and pursuing your dreams and making your dreams come true?

KL: Oh, that’s good!

AG: What advice would you give someone who’s looking to do something they’ve always wanted to do?

KL: Don’t give up! Keep on trying. I think it’s one of the great things about the company that I work for, Delta. They’ve always been inclusive of everybody. It was an open casting call for all the FAs. And then everybody auditioned and the list was whittled down. And then we were videotaped. So, everybody was given a chance to try out and then it was determined by how well you were in front of the camera. It was truly by talent, you can say. But don’t give up! I remember vividly, when I first started flying how I wanted to be in the video. I said to myself if I get in the video I will make sure I represent well, all the time. For the 4 years it’s been on, I have never dismissed anybody that has come to me and said, ‘oh you’re in the video.’ I’ve always taken a picture with them, or talked about it, or signed an autograph. And I always approach it like it’s the first time I’ve been asked about the finger wag or somebody says ‘Oh my gosh, you’re the girl!’ So, keep on trying! Absolutely!

AG: So, you’ve always wanted to be in the video. Now that you have been in the video, what advice would you give the next person(s) who stars in the video? And we’re not sure how much detail you can share with us on any plans to replace the current safety video.

KL: I actually don’t have any details regarding a replacement safety video. What I wish somebody would have to told me is that you have to have a thick skin. Because you have people that’ll always be envious. And will always be…I don’t want to say hateful because hate is such a strong word. But hurtful. And the things that they say and write. Our video was the first one that was put out on the internet before it was even put on the aircraft to kind of see how social media would take over, and word-of-mouth, and see what would happen on YouTube. And you have the kind of response on YouTube, and some things were just so nasty and people didn’t know me. I don’t think that I had that thick skin that I needed to initially kind of be confronted with all that. So, my advice is it doesn’t matter how nice you are, and how awesome you are, people will always be envious of what you have. And with people watching that video, you’re going to get that. That’s how people are. It’s unfortunate but that’s how they are. I’d tell them don’t listen to any of that hateful, mean-spirited stuff. That’s how I would set them up for success. Don’t read the stuff that’s on YouTube. It’s amazing to this day that when I fly with people they say ‘Oh my gosh, you’re so nice.’ I’m like, ‘Why would you think I wasn’t nice?’ And they say, ‘well, you know, the video.’ What about the video? People judging a book by its cover.

AG: What misconceptions do people have about you?

KL: That I have this incredible ego. That it’s all about me. That I’m stuck on myself. That I’m a complete (whispers) bitch. And I’m not. Those are the biggest things. Oh gosh! I heard a great rumor yesterday.

AG: What was it?!

KL: That apparently I had just married this movie executive out in LA and I was going to leave Delta.

AG: Wow! Any specific names?

KL: No. Unfortunately. Which is interesting because the entire crew thought that was the truth. Yeah.

AG: We heard the exact same thing a couple of days ago!

KL: Wow!

AG: We know you’ve been asked about the finger wag before. For the record how’d it come about?

KL: The director suggested I do a little finger wag. I think there were like 7 different takes. Left hand. Right hand. Kind of above where my mouth is. Below. And we kind of just tweaked it. He was just like, ‘add some personality, like add a little sass to it.’ It was a culmination of the both of us coming together. It was not my idea. It was truly his. I just put my own little twist on it.

AG: A little wag? (laughter)

KL: My little wag. A little waggy wag. (laughter)

AG: A little swagger. (laughter)

KL: A little swagger in my wagger! (laughter)

AG: Kat, we’d like to say thank you! What we set out to accomplish interviewing you was to get to the root of who Katherine Lee is, away from the personality of “Deltalina”. Who is this person who is so well recognized and has become the face of Delta. We were the face of Delta at one point! But you have become the face! That’s all capital letters, THE face of Delta Air Lines! (laughter)

KL: It’s crazy! It’s crazy! It’s crazy good! You know what? I’m just so blessed. I think back on all the years that I waited and waited and it finally happened. So, never give up!

———

After taking a few pictures with Kat, some hugs, and kisses on the cheeks, we said our goodbyes. We walked away from each other whereby she blended into the crowd of international passengers rushing to catch their flights. Unbeknownst to these customers, they’ll be seeing hearing her voice and seeing her wag her finger at them very soon.

airlineguys Darin and Sylvester with Deltalina (Katherine)

———

airlineguys™ are Sylvester Pittman and Darin Topham. Aviation enthusiasts. 30+ (and counting) combined years of airline operation/leadership/PR experience. Former cabin crew. Discerners of great customer service.

3 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , ,