In the heart of the world’s busiest airport, a Delta flight attendant still flies routes after 50 years in the air—since before jet engines fully replaced propellers. A traffic manager keeps 60,000 cars moving outside the terminals every single day. A Sky Club director believes an ice-cold glass of champagne, offered with a smile, can turn a routine layover on a wedding anniversary into something unforgettable. They’re just a few of the people who keep Atlanta’s airport humming. As the airport and the airline celebrate 100 years, we asked the workers behind the scenes what it means to keep the world moving.
Photograph by John E. McDonald
Brenda McCrary
Reservations, with Delta since 2006
“In my role, you have to keep up with a fast pace. AI is here and we embrace it. We use it for the benefit of responding to customers in a timely manner.”
Photograph by John E. McDonald
Alberto Fedeli
Regional operations manager for Sky Club, with Delta since 2023
“My goal is to make sure that the [Sky Club] guests have consistency in everything that we do. I go by the motto ‘Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.’ It’s as simple as making sure a guest has an ice-cold glass of champagne ready for them on their wedding anniversary, greeting guests with a genuine smile, and seeking out these personal moments during our busy day.”
Photograph by John E. McDonald
Juan Londono
TechOps, with Delta since 2010
“I’m teaching a specialized tooling and advanced troubleshooting class. It’s not just avionics; it’s a little bit of both specialized tools and tools that have been in the tool room for quite a while, and not everybody knows how to use them. The more people understand how to use the specialized equipment and tooling, the more efficiently we can troubleshoot airplanes and get them back flying.”
Photograph by John E. McDonald
Eugene Harmond
Inflight service, with Delta since 1973
“I look back now at the history from the different airplanes we flew—because believe it or not, they were still flying propeller-driven airplanes when I started. When we were told to sit in the jump seat and the plane started bouncing, we’d say, ‘Prop watch! Prop watch!’ That would mean there would be a prop airplane ahead of us. I am the only Black male that is still flying today, for 50 years, for an airline. Plus, I’m the only guy who’s been flying over 50 years for the same airline. I used to fly to Los Angeles all of the time, but nowadays I just fly to places that are very short flight times, just an hour or less. They’re called ‘flight-attendant friendly’ flights.”
Photograph by John E. McDonald
Mariana Garduno
Lead customer service representative, with ATL Airport since 2023
“I speak Spanish. Explaining to someone where to go and what to do is the next step when it comes to security. We have 10-plus languages available. No matter what country you’re coming from, where you’re going, we have someone that’s going to be able to help you.”
Photograph by John E. McDonald
Khern Forde
Senior director, ATL Enforcement, with ATL Airport since 2008
“I oversee the division that directs and monitors airport roadways, from limos and taxis to Uber and Lyft. We also combat illegal solicitation; there are people who act like they’re Uber and Lyft drivers and they try to get passengers to ride with them. It’s a big task, but we’re proud of how we do it. We’re the world’s busiest airport, with 100 million people passing through every year. You figure 50,000 to 60,000 cars come through our terminals every day—and we keep all that traffic moving.”
Photograph by John E. McDonald
Kenneth Williams
Director of airport transportation systems, with ATL Airport since 2015
“I think it’s exciting that the airport is 100 years old and that I’ve been here for 10 of them. The airport has grown. It was a big step in 1980 to get a train system. Now that we’ve had upgrades to the train system over the years, we make sure we can go another 100 years.”
Photograph by John E. McDonald
Kelly Reynolds
Director of terminal/landside operations, with ATL Airport since 2013
“As someone who comes from a heavy aviation background and has worked at other airports, it’s incredible to see all of the old photos and the history coming out. Everyone likes to remind us of the beginnings of Atlanta and the racetrack, and to see it and watch how it has expanded, how it has grown. It’s phenomenal to see just in my time the decade of change.”
Photograph by John E. McDonald
Ryan Vizcarra
Aircraft lead agent, with Delta since 2009
“On my side, below the wing, we make it to where there won’t be any issues. As soon as you get to the baggage claim, your bag should be there waiting. As soon as you get on the plane, you should get a message that your bag is on the aircraft. It’s things like that. It’s the little things that make less worry for people, that keeps them coming back.”
This article appears in our October 2025 issue.
✈️ Back to A Century of Delta and Hartsfield-Jackson
