Korean Air and Delta Transform Santa Monica Beach in Los Angeles with Powerful Cleanup

Saturday, June 22, 2024

Korean Air and Delta Air Lines joined forces on June 20 to enhance the beauty of a popular California beach near the Santa Monica pier. The collaboration, part of a team-building competition, aimed to clean up the shoreline and remove litter.

In partnership with California’s Heal the Bay non-profit organization, ten teams, each consisting of four members, participated in the “Suits on the Sand” competition. Their efforts resulted in the collection of hundreds of pounds of trash, including numerous cigarette butts, helping to restore the beach to its pristine state.

This initiative was part of the Korean Air-Delta joint venture’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship. Over the past six years, the partnership has undertaken various projects, including building homes with Habitat for Humanity in Manila and Los Angeles, organizing a river clean-up in Seoul, and planting trees in Mongolia.

As part of the beach clean-up event, participants had the opportunity to learn about marine pollution from a Heal the Bay educator. They then engaged in interactive team-building activities while cleaning up the beach, adding a fun and competitive element to the day’s activities.

Heal the Bay, established in 1985, is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to protecting Santa Monica Bay and its surrounding waters. Through initiatives like the “Suits on the Sand” competition, Heal the Bay continues its mission to preserve the natural beauty of California’s coastlines.

“This team-building project not only solidifies our airlines’ Joint Venture, but also supports our community outreach efforts in Southern California. Korean Air has been serving Los Angeles for more than 50 years and travelers visit from around the world to enjoy Los Angeles’ beautiful coastline. We’re honored to be protecting the area’s beauty,” said In Joon Seo, Korean Air’s General Manager and Head of Passenger Business for the Americas.

Athar Khan, Delta’s Director of International Specialty Sales, said, “Delta and Korean Air joint venture partnership extends beyond business. It’s also about giving back to the communities where we live, work and serve. Having made strides in the Philippines, Mongolia and Korea, we are excited to bring our collected efforts to LA again. As one of our most significant markets, LA boasts a vibrant Korean community and Delta’s state-of-the-art airport facilities. We are proud to be back in LA to join forces and make our community contribution together.”

This beach cleanup marks the third joint venture project Korean Air has undertaken with Delta Air Lines in the Los Angeles area. Previously, in 2019 and 2022, Korean Air and Delta collaborated to build Habitat for Humanity homes in downtown Los Angeles.

Korean Air and Delta Air Lines have maintained a strategic partnership for years, and in 2018, they announced the creation of what has become the world’s most comprehensive transpacific joint venture.

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