"The entire crew from dispatch, mechanics, the crew members, the pilots - everybody is Black. This is just amazing and I'm so thrilled to be a part of this experience," said United Airlines pilot Deon Byrne.
Saturday morning was different , a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft of United Airlines flew from Houston to O’Hare International Airport with a special all-Black crew in honor of Juneteenth.
BEACON, our Black Business Resource Group, organized a first for United: flight 1258 from Houston to Chicago was operated by an all-Black team to celebrate their heritage, inspire future aviators and airline professionals and honor Juneteenth National Independence Day. pic.twitter.com/GSfQQwkouJ
— United Airlines (@united) June 19, 2021
All the team members who worked on UA1258 – the flight crew, the pilots, the gate agent, the ramp staff, the maintenance technicians, the caterers, and even the flight dispatchers in both Houston and Chicago celebrated their Black heritage with the flight.
"Being able to do a flight like this is a huge deal. It's a big deal for me. Very thankful for it,' said United Airlines flight attendant Nathan Pickney.
The Boeing Dreamliner landed at O'Hare, pulling up on the tarmac under a water salute to mark the historic moment. The members of the all-Black crew greeted with cheers at the gate.
"This holiday is about celebrating our freedom, celebrating our Black heritage," said Jessica Kimbrough, United Airlines chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, "And today's event is just a wonderful celebration of what's possible."
The flight also honored United Airlines’ launch of its Black Business Resource Group, BEACON.
This Juneteenth flight comes just two months after United Airlines pledged to diversify its pipeline of pilots, with a goal of training thousands of people of color by 2030.
Pictures : United airlines.
