With so much negative press about DL (and yes im one that also is incredibly sick and over all US carriers, but I digress) I wanted to share a story from over a decade ago I have never shared because in some sense this seems like the by-gone area of DL Airlines and maybe US carriers as a whole. I also chose not to share because I realize that many MMers do not even get a pat on the back, let alone public recognition. I am not special, nor do I think hitting MM is special to DL beyond the length of a coin, so please understand that this story is shared merely for memories sake. With all of that prefaced, on that rainy cold January day, they did make me feel like, even for a brief moment, that they cared.

When I hit MM at 23 years old I had quite a celebration. I was traveling from GRU to ATL with an 8 hour layover then to LAX on the 77L with a 18 hour layover then onto Maui. All on one ticket, all in paid Business (BE at the time). I didnt have a DL credit card that earned MQMs, so the 1 million MQMS were primarily from flying+any MQM bonuses.

When I landed in ATL at 545am on a cold, rainy January morning (the flight that officially crossed the boundary) the team meeting the flight was standing in the jet bridge with a sign with my name on it. I was very surprised as to what was going on. They took me down to the tarmac for photos with the aircraft, then they escorted me through customs and back up in the SC where I walked in (at 615am mind you) to the entire front desk staff standing up and clapping with huge smiles on their faces. They then handed me a box of cupcakes and a balloon and offered me a shower(not with the cupcakes). The irony is, I had booked this layover to NOT stay in the airport so after I profusely thanked them, they took me back out where they had a car drive me into the city.

But it didnt stop there.

I returned to ATL at about 4pm that same day expecting this was all behind us. Shortly after boarding ATL-LAX, at end of boarding, they got on the INTERCOM for the entire aircraft and said that the person in 7A (remember that seat!?) was crossing 1 MM on that flight and to give him a round of applause. This was embarrassing for sure as many of the pax in that BE cabin were fellow DMs with many millions as well-I could only think in that moment as I sunk in my seat blushing, how they were thinking about their own MM threshold and comparing it. After this was done, 3 FAs came up to me as though it was timed and handed me a bag of DL goodies. Model plane, shirt, cupholder, other swag etc. When I got to LAX I had to ship this stuff to New York as I was going to Japan after Maui but I appreciated the gesture. The only soldiers left behind were the cupcakes-I donated those to the staff.

Ive always reminisced about that day as one that DL really shined. Im only sad to see how far US carriers have come, and sadder still that I realize this was an unusual occurrence for many. Ill always look back on that day with fond memories and a story ill take with me until I depart this world as what a company is capable of if they really put all their resources in motion to make one day for one client a special one.