Delta Donates Over 200,000 Pounds of Leftover Food Amid Coronavirus Pandemic (Video)

Delta Air Lines has donated hundreds of thousands of pounds of leftover food after the airline cut back on in-flight offerings due to the coronavirus.

The more than 200,000 pounds of perishable and non-perishable food, which will be given to organizations including hospitals and food banks, comes from both items offered on board as well as in the Delta Sky Clubs. Last month, the airline limited service to just “essential food and beverage offerings,” in a way to reduce contact.

“As a result, Delta has been left with food that would have expired before it could be served to customers,” the company said in a statement. “So in true Delta form, employee teams are engaging organizations that can immediately use the food. Efforts to identify and support organizations globally will be ongoing as we maneuver through these unprecedented times.”

To donate the unused food, Delta said it has partnered with groups like Feeding America, with which it has had a “longstanding” relationship with. The airline added Delta Sky Clubs in airports, including Los Angeles International Airport and at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, are donating their unused food to first responders, local charities and churches.

The move comes just days after the airline said it would extend the medallion status for its SkyMiles members through Jan. 31, 2022.

Additionally, Delta is helping the COVID-19 fight by flying medical workers and supplies to states where they are needed, including Louisiana and Michigan, as well as committing to manufacture desperately-needed personal protective equipment.

As part of this effort, the Atlanta-based airline said it was producing face shields for healthcare workers in conjunction with a non-profit affiliate of the Georgia Institute of Technology. The company said it would produce 2,000 shields for New York and an additional 4,000 for Atlanta-area hospitals.

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