Delta brings 27 WWII veterans to Normandy for “Legacy Flight” landing marked by French and U.S. honors

Delta Air Lines brought 27 World War II veterans back to Normandy, France, with a landing in the region that Delta described as a carefully choreographed homecoming. The carrier’s Flight 9994 touched down at Deauville–Normandy Airport (DOL) at midday Wednesday, completing an approximately eight-hour transatlantic trip that Delta said included a bird’s-eye view of Omaha Beach shortly before landing.

The welcome began on the tarmac, where the veterans were greeted by France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, along with the U.S. Ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, and local dignitaries. Delta also said scores of children and local residents came to the airport for what it framed as a special occasion, with French and U.S. servicemembers saluting the group as they were escorted to the terminal area.

Delta said U.S. servicemembers from American bases joined their French counterparts during the arrival proceedings. The veterans were then escorted into a terminal that Delta described as standing-room-only, underscoring the scale of attention around the day’s commemoration and the involvement of the broader local community.

Remarks during the program included thanks to the veterans for their courage and sacrifice 82 years earlier, along with an emphasis on preserving the legacy of the group, “nearly all” of whom Delta characterized as centenarians. Delta added that First Lady Macron, along with Delta executive Virginie Durr and others, addressed the delegation during the ceremony.

One of the ceremony’s highlights, Delta said, was the French Legion of Honor, which Delta referred to as France’s highest honor. Three veterans were named as recipients: S1C Ed Sandy, Lt. Arthur Rose, and PFC Edwin Albright. Delta did not provide additional details about the timing of the awards beyond the event’s mention as part of the landing program.

Delta also included remarks from Bertrand Deniaud, V.P. of the Normandy Region, who told the group: “We are so glad to have you in Normandy. I would say make yourself at home, but you are already home.” Delta used the quote to frame the visit as both a return to the historic landscape and a recognition of the veterans’ ongoing place in the region’s public memory.

Another speaker, Alan Kinder, said it was his first Normandy Legacy Flight trip this year. Delta reported that Kinder emphasized the importance of passing on firsthand experiences to younger generations, and he also recalled his own history flying Delta dating back to the 1950s when he described the airline as a small regional carrier.

Delta’s Normandy Legacy Flight is positioned as an annual effort that brings World War II veterans and students to Normandy ahead of D-Day commemorations. In its related day-by-day coverage, Delta said the 2026 trip was the fifth edition of the event and that it involves a broad set of participants and supporters, including volunteers and a large number of community attendees across multiple days leading up to the broader D-Day programming.

Beyond the ceremony itself, Delta’s broader coverage of the same trip described the operational challenge of handling a large aircraft at an airport built for smaller planes. Delta said its Airport Customer Service and TechOps teams created what it called a temporary operation from the ground up at Deauville, including efforts to recreate a standard check-in experience and coordinate safety and regulatory details with local partners, culminating in an arrival moment with nearly 30 veterans stepping into a crowd of well-wishers.

Delta did not disclose certain details readers might expect in a transportation briefing, including the aircraft type used for Flight 9994, the exact departure airport in the United States, or the specific security, accessibility, and medical staffing plan for veterans on the day of arrival. Delta also did not specify whether the veterans’ view of Omaha Beach came through planned in-flight routing, dedicated camera coverage, or another onboard experience.

As the program continues, Delta’s timeline indicates the landing was followed by additional Normandy events around the D-Day anniversary period. What to watch next is the continuation of the veterans’ engagements with local institutions and ceremonies scheduled later in the week, as well as how Delta frames the linkage between its on-the-ground operational work and the event’s long-running focus on intergenerational remembrance.