Delta's 'Breast Cancer One' Survivor Flight Kicks Off Airline's 7th Year of Support for BCRF

CEO, employee survivors raise awareness with celebrations in Atlanta, Detroit

Delta again sets goal of $1 million donation to BCRF; Funds will support 13th research project sponsored by airline

News provided by

Oct 03, 2011, 11:15 ET

ATLANTA and DETROIT, Oct. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 140 employee breast cancer survivors today will join Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) CEO Richard Anderson aboard "Breast Cancer One" – a special charter flight commemorating Delta people's heroic fight with the disease. The flight marks the start of the airline's seventh annual awareness campaign and fundraising effort for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090202/DELTALOGO )

Delta's Boeing 767-400 signature "pink plane" will fly from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport carrying employee survivors from 30 different departments across 30 different locations and representing five different business partners in the Delta family.

"Thanks to the generosity and determination of Delta people and our customers, we've raised more than $3.5 million for BCRF to date, including $1 million donated each in 2009 and 2010," said Delta CEO Richard Anderson. "Delta's donations have funded the work of 12 researchers committed to finding a cure for breast cancer. Our employees are up to the challenge of exceeding last year's million dollar donation, and I look forward to helping them reach that goal."

Throughout the month of October, Delta employees will don pink uniforms to raise awareness and support for breast cancer research, and will sell pink lemonade onboard and in Delta Sky Clubs. All proceeds benefit BCRF.

Delta's "Pink Plane"

Delta's international "pink plane," a Boeing 767-400 featuring BCRF's trademarked pink ribbon logo on the tail of the aircraft and adjacent to the boarding door, has carried nearly 150,000 customers and flown nearly 6,000 hours – or approximately 104 trips around the world – since being painted pink in May 2010. The aircraft flies international routes, helping raise awareness for BCRF in England, Germany, Italy, Spain, France and Argentina. Delta's international pink plane replaced the pink-and-white Boeing 757 that between 2005 and 2010 flew throughout the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean to generate awareness for the cause.

About The Breast Cancer Research Foundation
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation® was founded in 1993 by Evelyn H. Lauder as an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to funding innovative clinical and translational research. In October 2010, BCRF will award $33 million to over 170 scientists across the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia. Currently, more than 88 cents of each dollar donated to the Foundation goes directly to breast cancer research and awareness programs. And the American Institute of Philanthropy has awarded the Foundation its highest possible rating of A+. BCRF is the only breast cancer organization to receive this accolade, and is the only cancer organization to currently hold this ranking. For more information about BCRF, visit www.bcrfcure.org.

About Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year, and was named by Fortune magazine as the most admired airline worldwide in its 2011 World's Most Admired Companies airline industry list. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 338 destinations in 59 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. A founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance, Delta participates in the industry's leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 13,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. The airline's service includes the SkyMiles frequent flier program, a world-class airline loyalty program; the award-winning BusinessElite service; and more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide. Delta is investing more than $2 billion through 2013 in airport facilities and global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and review flight status at delta.com.