Delta Air Lines celebrates 'A Hundred Years of Safety'
Katherine Lee-Hinton, who rose to fame as Deltalina in a 2008 Delta Air Lines safety video which viral, has return for airlines newest safety video titled "A Hundred Years of Safety." (Delta Air Lines)
ATLANTA - Delta Air Lines is honoring a century of flight with a new in-flight safety video.
It blends nostalgia and modern-day protocol — and includes a familiar face from the airline’s viral past.
Delta: A Hundred Years of Safety
The backstory:
The video, titled "A Hundred Years of Safety," debuts this April and celebrates Delta’s 100th anniversary by showcasing the evolution of air travel. It features historically accurate uniforms, vintage branding, and a cameo by Katherine Lee — better known to longtime flyers as "Deltalina" from the airline’s popular 2008 safety video.
The video walks passengers through decades of Delta history, beginning in the 1920s. It includes 11 different Delta logos and flight crews wearing 10 eras of authentic pilot and flight attendant uniforms, curated with help from the Delta Flight Museum. While creatively engaging, the video still adheres to Federal Aviation Administration standards and includes essential safety instructions such as locating emergency exits, using oxygen masks, and evacuation procedures.
Who is Deltalina?
Big picture view:
Longtime Delta Air Lines flight attendant Katherine Lee-Hinton became a viral star in 2008 with just a smile, a finger wag, and a little attitude. Better known as "Deltalina," a nickname from YouTube fans who thought she looked like Angelina Jolie, she helped turn a routine safety video into a pop culture moment.
Born in Heidelberg, Germany, and raised in a military family, Lee-Hinton moved around a lot before settling in Atlanta. She graduated from Stone Mountain High in 1992 and joined Delta in 1997.
Katherine Lee-Hinton seen in a still pulled from her iconic "Deltalina" safety video for Delta Air Lines in 2008.
Her big break came when she fronted Delta’s cheeky 2008 safety video, which was praised for making passengers actually pay attention.
Even after Delta moved on to new faces in 2012, Lee-Hinton kept popping up — scolding a screaming goat in a 2015 meme-filled video, and reappearing in a 2025 centennial tribute.
Delta touts safety over the last 100 years
What they're saying:
With more than 165,000 seatback screens across the fleet, Delta hopes the new video educates and engages passengers while reminding them of a legacy built on service and safety.
"Our safety video is viewed by hundreds of thousands of customers every day from all walks of life," Dukes said. "So it’s the perfect creative venue to honor our history and people while captivating the attention of customers as they prepare for takeoff."
"These quintessential uniforms and references not only demonstrate just how much has changed throughout the last 100 years of air travel — including habits, fashion and culture — but that Delta’s commitment to safety has always been our top priority," said Maya Dukes, Delta’s Managing Director of Global Brand Strategy, Creative and Social.
"Air travel is the safest form of transportation, and that’s because safety is embedded into every aspect of our business and the industry," said Kristen Manion Taylor, Delta’s Senior Vice President of In-Flight Service. "Rigorously training our flight attendants to be safety professionals and educating our customers on the safety protocols and procedures that they’re expected to comply with is non-negotiable."
"The Delta uniform is an extension of who we are — a globally recognized, premium brand built on a set of core values, including safety, service excellence and reliability," said Ekrem Dimbiloglu, Managing Director of Onboard Strategy and Experience.
Delta flight attendants
Dig deeper:
Delta flight attendants complete a rigorous seven-week training program in Atlanta, learning procedures for nine aircraft types and mastering 16 different door and window mechanisms. Their instruction includes managing turbulence, medical incidents, and onboard evacuations. Ongoing training ensures compliance with both FAA and TSA standards, and Delta performs regular audits of its procedures.
Uniforms featured in the new video highlight how Delta’s image has changed alongside cultural shifts in fashion and customer expectations. The airline also emphasizes that flight attendants earn their wings — and the right to wear the uniform — through dedication and professionalism.
What you can do:
Delta Air Lines is continuing to hire qualified flight crews and other support services. To learn more, click here.
The Source: Delta Air Lines is the sole source for this article, however previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was used.