[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 146 (Monday, September 8, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E820]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             RECOGNIZING DELTA AIR LINES' 100TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 8, 2025

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate 
the 100th anniversary of Delta Air Lines, a remarkable milestone for 
one of the world's most innovative and enduring airlines.
  As Delta commemorates a century of service in 2025, we in Minnesota 
are especially proud to reflect on the deep roots this company has in 
our state through the history and legacy of Northwest Airlines. Founded 
in 1926, Northwest Airlines grew from humble beginnings into a global 
carrier headquartered in the Twin Cities. Northwest played a central 
role in shaping Minnesota's economy, creating tens of thousands of 
good-paying jobs, and connecting our communities to the Nation and the 
world. Its story is inextricably linked to our state's modern history.
  One of the earliest chapters of that story is written at Holman Field 
in Saint Paul, the city's historic downtown airport. Holman Field bears 
the name of Charles ``Speed'' Holman, the pioneering aviator and 
Minnesota native who was hired as Northwest's first pilot in 1926. 
Holman's legacy as a fearless pilot and a trailblazer in American 
aviation is preserved every time a plane lands at that field along the 
Mississippi River.
  In 2008, when Delta and Northwest Airlines merged, it marked not the 
end of Northwest's legacy, but its continuation. Delta wisely built 
upon Northwest's deep roots in Minnesota and throughout the Upper 
Midwest, ensuring that the Twin Cities would remain a vital hub for 
international travel and commerce. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International 
Airport (MSP) now stands as one of Delta's largest hubs, carrying 
forward a proud tradition of service, safety, and innovation that began 
nearly a century ago.
  That same spirit of innovation continues today through the Minnesota 
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Hub at MSP. This partnership, led by 
Greater MSP, brings together partners such as Delta, Ecolab, Xcel 
Energy, and the Metropolitan Airports Commission in the Nation's first 
large-scale hub committed to scaling production of sustainable aviation 
fuel to replace conventional jet fuel. As an anchor partner of the 
Minnesota SAF Hub, Delta is helping to create an industrial-scale 
supply chain for sustainable aviation fuel, anchored in Minnesota.
  Mr. Speaker, Delta's 100th anniversary is not only a milestone for 
the company, but also a moment to honor the people who make up Delta's 
legacy and current workforce. From Charles ``Speed'' Holman and the 
thousands of dedicated Northwest employees who made aviation history, 
in Minnesota, to the tens of thousands of Delta's current employees--
many of whom belong to a union--pilots, flight attendants, customer 
service agents, and the skilled technicians, engineers, and mechanics 
who ensure Delta flights are safe and enjoyable--this centennial 
reflects a shared story of vision, resilience, and progress.
  On behalf of the people of Minnesota's 4th Congressional District, I 
extend my warmest congratulations to Delta Air Lines on 100 years of 
service and innovation, and I look forward to its continued success in 
the century ahead.

                          ____________________