Delta Air Lines Joins Amsterdam's Canal Parade to Celebrate Pride

On August 5, employees from Delta Air Lines joined the Canal Parade, one of the main parts of the Amsterdam Pride festival. This was the first time Delta participated in the event, which brought thousands of people to Amsterdam's canals.
 

Delta's boat was decorated with rainbows and clouds, featuring the airline's famous Widget tailplane. The boat navigated the canals with a crew of Delta employees wearing shirts with "Pride in Flight" on them. 

The employees were joined by representatives from Delta's partner airline KLM, LGBTQ+ travel influencers, and DJ Bo Monde, Miss Gay Holland 2017.

Matteo Curcio, Delta Air Lines' Senior Vice President for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India, said: "Delta is about bringing people and communities together; Amsterdam Pride's theme #YouAreIncluded is entirely in tune with that. We were thrilled to be part of this celebration and to have fun with our colleagues and customers.

Delta saw the event as a way to showcase its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The airline views the LGBTQ+ community's contributions as essential to company growth. Delta has a voluntary business resource group called EQUAL, which represents LGBTQ+ employees and their allies. Four of the group's members attended the Canal Parade.

Raymond Timmer, Delta's Cargo Manager, said: "We are very grateful to everyone who helped make this happen. Our Delta team here in The Netherlands was so enthusiastic and passionate about taking part in this event. It was a wonderful experience and we hope to do it again next year."

The EQUAL members that attended the event were excited to see Delta's commitment to DEI. Dewayne Queen, president of EQUAL, said: "Delta connects the world and aims to ensure that everyone - no matter how they identify - is respected and valued. Delta takes its role as a leader in inclusive travel and workplace sense of belonging seriously, and we are committed to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion worldwide. That's why we were delighted to be here in Amsterdam celebrating this wonderful event."

The Canal Parade was only one of many activities during the Amsterdam Pride festival which ran from July 29 to August 6.

Aside from Pride events in Amsterdam, Delta Air Lines has sponsored several initiatives supporting the LGBTQ+ community in the U.S. In October 2022, more than 700 of its employees participated in the Atlanta Pride Festival and Parade that coincided with National Coming Out Day. The employees wore "Pride in Flight" shirts and marched throughout Atlanta.

Delta had a tent at Atlanta's Piedmont Park, where attendees could write what Pride means to them on a well. Attendees could also read each other's encouraging words and record a video with a selected travel destination appearing in the background.

Delta has also sponsored Pride events in Cincinnati, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York City, Salt Lake City, Seattle, and Washington, DC. Most of these cities serve as Delta hubs through their respective airports.

Finally, Delta has supported the LGBTQ+ community through these initiatives alongside those facilitated by the airline's EQUAL group:

• Partnering with organizations such as the National Gay Pilots Association and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).
• Working with United Healthcare to increase resources for LGBTQ+ employees and their families to address healthcare disparities and improve employee well-being.