In Normandy, Delta’s ACS team awaits ‘magic’ from behind door of DL9994

What does it take to land a widebody jet — and a group of heroes — at an airport built for small planes? 

Ahead of Delta flight DL9994 touching down at Deauville-Normandie Airport in northwest France on June 3, a dedicated team of employees from across Delta’s European Airport Customer Service and TechOps groups had been quietly working behind the scenes for weeks to make the impossible feel seamless. Their goal: to ensure the arrival and departure of the fifth annual Normandy Legacy Flight at the small, one-terminal airport would operate without a hitch.

The widebody Boeing 767-300 arrived midday Wednesday in Deauville, an airfield that typically handles small leisure aircraft and seasonal flights — not a 400,000-pound jet. 

“Our team is used to handling charter operations across Europe, but we knew flying into Deauville would be a completely different kind of setup,” said Christine Marchand-Pardo, Delta’s Managing Director of Operations for Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, recalling when the idea of bringing a widebody airliner to the airfield was first suggested by Virginie Durr.

Once Delta’s Charters, Flight Operations and Performance Engineering teams confirmed the aircraft could safely land and depart from the airport’s only runway, the real work began — planning around how to handle the flight from arrival to departure, including how to park, deplane, board and dispatch such a large aircraft at an airport that wasn’t designed for it.

Christine would have to bring Delta to Deauville. 

She brought together a core team from the EMEA ACS and TechOps organizations, including colleagues from Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Madrid. IT teams assembled portable systems — computers, boarding pass printers, bag tag printers, and networking equipment — to recreate a fully functional remote check-in and boarding operation.

Meanwhile, ACS Below-Wing experts Pierre Laurent W., Joaquin Q. and Christine D. coordinated with Deauville Airport teams to safely manage baggage and ramp handling. Extensive collaboration with French Civil Aviation and security authorities ensured every regulatory detail was addressed. Each year, the team walks through the entire operation step by step in advance, identifying gaps and ensuring the highest safety and security standards.

Recognizing the airport’s limitations — and aiming to create a smooth experience for the nearly 30 WWII veterans traveling — Sandrine W. and Maribel F., alongside CDG ACS team members, transform a hotel lobby into a temporary check-in center. There, passengers securely process boarding passes, baggage and documentation ahead of arrival at the airport.

To further enhance accessibility on and off the aircraft, a custom-built Aviramp donated in 2025 by Aviramp CEO, Graham Corfield, allows passengers — especially elderly veterans — to board and deplane with dignity and ease.

“There was never a question of whether we could make this work,” said Christine. “From day one, this has been an incredible human adventure, built on strong relationships with Deauville Airport teams, French civil aviation authorities and the entire Delta team. Our shared respect and admiration for these U.S. veterans creates an extraordinary spirit of teamwork, and emotions on the ground are intense each time we greet them.”

For Christine, the now five-year Normandy Legacy Flight holds deep personal significance. Her mother was a member of the French Resistance during World War II.

“She told me many stories and one in particular where the American soldiers liberated the city where she was living,” Christine shared. “These soldiers are an important part of my family’s history. Without them, I wouldn’t be here. This flight means so much to so many of us in France and across Europe.”

That emotional connection comes full circle on arrival day as Christine makes it a point to stand at the top of the Aviramp when the aircraft door is opened.

“For all of us, the magic happens the moment that door opens, and we see our U.S. veterans in front of us,” she said. “Their energy, their humor, their spirit — it’s unforgettable. Even at 100 years old, they’re like young people experiencing the trip of a lifetime.”