Detla Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson recently played the Good Samaritan on a flight to Atlanta, GA., according to, WXIA TV in Atlanta.
On June 13, Jesse Frank was trying to get home to pick up her 12 year-old daughter from a summer camp devoted to children with Type 1 diabetes.
Frank was not having the best of days, since what was supposed to be a two-hour flight was turning into an all-day escapade. Pretty soon, she began to fear she would not make it home in time to see her daughter.
When Frank was ready to board the plane she had dropped down to No. 8 on the waiting list. Therefore, she was astonished when her name was called to board and, as Frank put it, a “vaguely familiar” face escorted her to her seat.
She realized who it was when the pilot announced that CEO Richard Anderson was sitting in the cockpit.
To thank Anderson, Frank wrote a public thank-you note on Facebook.
The last half of the letter reads:
Suddenly I realized that “familiar face” was not an off-duty pilot. It was you, the CEO of Delta, vaguely familiar from the safety video. It was you, Richard Anderson, who gave up your seat for me. It was you, the Delta CEO, who helped me with my bag. It was you, acting just like an ordinary Mr. Anderson, who showed me to my seat.
You, Richard Anderson, the CEO of Delta, did all that for me, just an average, middle-aged, woman with, as far as anyone at Delta knew, no special reason to get home. But more importantly, it was all of your employees that day that did so much helping me to get home – and now I know why. Because Delta is led by you, Richard Anderson, a dedicated and inspiring leader who so clearly demonstrates, at his very core, that he leads by example, and does not set himself above all those who allow this airline to exist.
Thank you, Richard Anderson. As a result of your leadership and the actions of yourself and your employees, I had my special day with my special child. You and your employees gave us both one more day of happiness, and for that, we are both very grateful. I have always been a loyal Delta customer, but Thursday solidified that loyalty for life! To all Delta employees who helped me on Thursday: thank you again
According to the New York Daily News, Delta officials said the story and letter were real. However, Anderson did not comment because he did not want to be in the spotlight.
