Delta Airlines is sending top executive Gail Grimmett to work closely within Queens’ communities, where the company employs almost 4,000 people.
Having worked for Delta for over a decade in their home base of Atlanta, Grimmett has moved to New York to give her more access and involvement in the city. With Delta’s new airline partnerships, including KLM, Air France, Northeast and U.S. Airways, they have decided to “win New York.” Part of Grimmett’s goal is to help her now international company be “hyper local” in the Queens communities.
They are the official airline of the Yankees, Mets, Knicks, Rangers and Liberty.
She described Delta’s plans to create a domestic hub at LaGuardia. Through an agreement with U.S. Airways, Delta will take over their terminal to enable them to have expanded gates and consolidate Terminal C.
Her position was recently created to support the airline’s enormous growth in the New York market, reaching more than 110 destinations worldwide. She will oversee government affairs, sales, marketing, community affairs and charitable giving. Although not New York-born she has learned the market and seems to love being here and has embraced her adopted city.
As part of being Delta’s ambassador of good will, Grimmett recently worked with Congressmember Gregory Meeks and State Senator Shirley Huntley, giving out turkeys this past Thanksgiving.
“We are committed to supporting communities where our employees and customers live,” she said.
Grimmett beamed with pride as she spoke about how her company has –amazingly – moved from bankruptcy, just two years ago, to being the largest international airline in the United States. Between 2005 and 2009 the airline has had a 40 percent increase in flights out of New York. In 2008 they merged with U.S. Air and more recently with Northwest, giving them an international presence.
She believes the level of passion of Delta employees has helped them rally through difficult days. They were all united in their goal to fix the problems that brought them to bankruptcy and “get ‘it’ right.” Obviously, they have learned from their crisis and did what needed to be done. Grimmett bluntly stated, “We have great employees and great products.”
Grimmett explained that the new seating in the JFK flight to Los Angeles will now duplicate the cradle-style seats available on international flights.
