How time flies! Last week, Delta officially celebrated 70 years of continuous air service in Jacksonville. Delta began operating here in 1945 at Imeson Airport. At the time, Imeson was the city’s commercial service airport.
As Jacksonville has grown, so has Delta’s presence here. The airline originally started service on December 1, 1945, with nonstop flights between Jacksonville and Miami with 21-passenger DC-3 aircraft. Since that time, the airline has become one of the largest carriers at JAX, and is a critical reason Jacksonville has become more accessible to business and leisure travelers around the world.
On the official anniversary day, Delta delighted passengers with some gifts as well as photos from the 1940’s. In addition, a Delta flight attendant walked around the gate area, posing for photos dressed in an actual 1945 flight attendant uniform. When standing with some flight attendants and crew from that day’s flight, it was obvious how far uniforms have come.
Another more poignant moment happened when a former 50 year Delta employee stopped by. He had numerous mementos of his time with Delta, He was on hand in 1965 when Delta began their first jet service from Jacksonville.
We wish Delta a very Happy Anniversary and look forward to many more years of growth and high-flying good times!