Delta takes flight for the fight against breast cancer

Throughout October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Delta Air Lines employees and customers will again partner in the fight to find a cure for breast cancer.

In addition to pink product sales and onboard donations, the airline is offering online customers a new SkyMiles bonus and a matching SkyMiles donation to benefit The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding innovative clinical and translational research to find ways to prevent and cure breast cancer.

“This is the fourth year Delta employees and customers worldwide join together in support of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, an organization that devotes itself, with unwavering determination, to the mission of achieving prevention and finding a cure for breast cancer,” said Joanne Smith, senior vice president of In-Flight Service and Onboard Product.

“Our employees and customers continue to show their passion and commitment to this fight, raising nearly $1 million during the last three years alone through pink product sales and donations made on board. We look forward to another successful year.”

New this year, Delta will donate 250 miles to BCRF until October 31, 2008 every time a customer books a flight or checks in online at delta.com. Delta SkyMiles members also receive an additional 250 bonus miles. Customers can register at delta.com/bcrf.

Orlando-based Delta Flight Attendant, Phyllis Poche with the Delta Pink PlaneThroughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Delta will sell its signature pink product – pink lemonade – on all Delta flights worldwide for $2 per glass with net proceeds benefiting BCRF. Delta will accept donations from passengers onboard with all proceeds benefiting BCRF. In addition, Delta flight attendants will don pink, including a limited-edition Pink Dress, patterned after Delta’s signature Richard Tyler-designed Red Dress and created to be worn exclusively during the month of October.

Delta’s in-flight and airport customer service employees will also be able to purchase and wear pink turtlenecks, ties and pocket puffs with net proceeds benefiting BCRF. All employees will have the option to purchase specially-designed 2008 Delta and BCRF tee-shirts with some employee workgroups also pairing the tees with jeans each weekend during the month for a $5 donation to BCRF.

Since 2005, when Delta's signature pink-and-white Boeing 757 first took flight, Delta has raised nearly $1 million for BCRF through donations from customers, employees and The Delta Foundation, the airline’s charitable organization which supports the communities where Delta customers and employees live and work worldwide. Last year alone, Delta-related efforts raised $500,000. Since 2006, nearly 40 million miles have been donated to BCRF through the generosity of Delta’s SkyMiles members and the SkyWish program.

The distinctive aircraft, which has flown more than 10,000 miles throughout the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean to generate awareness for the cause, features BCRF's trademarked pink ribbon logo on the tail of the aircraft and adjacent to the boarding door.

For more information see Delta.com.

For more information about the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, visit bcrfcure.org.