Aviramp partners with Delta Air Lines and US charity in gesture for veterans
World-leading aircraft boarding ramp manufacturer Aviramp is partnering with Delta Air Lines, Michelin and US veterans’ charity, Best Defense Foundation, for a unique D-Day commemoration.
In a landmark gesture, the award-winning UK company has donated one of its revolutionary step-free ramps to Deauville Airport in France, ensuring that the returning US veterans can safely and comfortably board and deplane Delta's unique Normandy Legacy Flight.
This pioneering transatlantic service – the first dedicated flight of its kind – brings together American World War II heroes and students on an emotional journey to Normandy's beaches, preserving first-hand accounts of WWII and D-Day while creating educational experiences for young people who will carry these stories forward.
Best Defense Foundation is a charity set up by former US football star, linebacker Donnie Edwards and his wife, Kathryn Edwards.
Aviramp chief executive and founder Graham Corfield said the donation of the International ramp – which features a gentle slope and slip-free surface – would ensure veterans – the youngest of which is 96-years-old – would be able to get on and off their flights with dignity and safety.
Graham said: “It is no exaggeration at all to say that we owe these veterans and the incredible men and women who served with them our freedom from tyranny and oppression.
“What they did on those beaches 81 years ago shaped the future of Europe and the rest of the world. To be able to help the surviving veterans return to commemorate the landings, remember their colleagues and honour the fallen is the greatest privilege for this company.
“Working with Delta, Best Defense Foundation and Michelin, Aviramp is focused on making sure veterans arriving in Deauville in June are able to disembark with dignity to be greeted by the crowds we know always give them such a warm welcome.”
Delta will host a nonstop charter flight directly from Atlanta to Deauville Airport on May 31, arriving in Deauville on June 1 and returning to Atlanta on June 9.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian said: "We are delighted to welcome Aviramp to our programme and thrilled with the generous donation of a ramp to help the veterans.
“It is our honour and privilege to continue this historic charter and week-long celebration as a journey of remembrance and gratitude, dedicated to our World War II heroes.”
Kathryn Edwards, co-founder of Best Defense Foundation, said: “The involvement of Aviramp is a real game-changer for us. It will speed up the disembarkation and allow people to greet the veterans that much sooner, all the while ensuring their safety.
“It is tremendous gesture and we want to say a special thank you to Aviramp for their generosity, which we know is no small undertaking.”
A dedicated team from Aviramp – including a veteran of HM Armed Forces – is currently manufacturing an Aviramp which will be assembled in Deauville ahead of the arrival of the Delta flight.
Aviramp’s boarding ramps are the global leader in their field, employing patented designs and technology to create a gentle 7-degree slope which makes getting on and off aircraft safe and dignified for all, as well as speeding up turnaround time for airlines and operators.
“As a company committed to ensuring safe and dignified air travel, regardless of age or mobility, we can think of no more fitting event to be a part of than the return of these veterans to the shores on which they forged history,” added Graham.
Best Defense Foundation provides caregivers for each WWII veteran throughout the trip, including Delta team members from its Veterans Business Resource Group (BRG) and other BRGs. All volunteers will receive specialised training and be paired 1:1 with veterans, cultivating an environment for ongoing support and meaningful connection.
This will mark only the fourth time a US passenger airline will fly directly to Normandy, with the other three being the Delta charter flights from 2022-2024.
Aviramp – a current holder of the Queen’s Award for International Trade – is the global leader in its sector with some 750 of its ramps now in use across the globe.
Aviramp boarding ramps and bridges are used when an aircraft is parked on a remote stand and offer a safe, dignified alternative to stairs and separate ambulifts for wheelchair users and those passengers with reduced mobility.
The low-angled ramps are fitted with a unique non-slip surface to improve safety for all passengers and help improve turnaround times and efficiency for airlines, airports and ground handlers.
