Delta Shuttle helped Santa Claus deliver holiday presents to thousands of New York City children today as part of the 29th annual Operation Santa Claus, sponsored by the Community Mayors of New York and New Jersey.

Approximately 5,000 children with special needs from the New York City Board of Education’s Special Education Division celebrated the holiday at JFK International Airport’s Hangar 19 with Macy’s Day parade characters, the New York State Pipe and Drum Core and several superheroes.

Santa left his sleigh at home this year, arriving on Delta Shuttle with Mayor Michael Bloomberg to celebrate the holiday season with the children. 

“Delta is proud to once again participate in this extraordinary affair,” said Ray Valeika, Delta’s senior vice president of Technical Operations. “This event could not exist every year without the cooperation and assistance of thousands of volunteers, motivated by the pursuit of bringing a little happiness into the lives of those less fortunate.”
The Community Mayors of New York and New Jersey are supported by volunteers from the New York City Police, the New York Fire Department, the Port Authority Police of New York/New Jersey, the United States Secret Service, the FBI, U.S. Customs Service Office, NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission, the United States Marine Corps “Toys for Tots” program, Delta Air Lines and many others.

With all-leather seats and a spacious 36 inches of seat pitch, Delta Shuttle offers 17 nonstop, hourly departures between New York-LaGuardia and Boston-Logan International or Washington-Reagan National Monday through Friday. Delta Shuttle also offers 16 nonstop, hourly departures on the weekend - each with guaranteed seating for all passengers arriving at the gate at least five minutes prior to departure. If a scheduled flight is full, Delta Shuttle will either roll out another aircraft within 15 minutes or award the passenger a free Delta Shuttle ticket, pending air traffic control and weather. Reservations are not required. Delta SkyMiles members earn mileage by flying Delta, Delta Connection, Delta Express, Delta Shuttle and Delta`s airline partners.

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