Former US President Jimmy Carter died Sunday at 100. Honoring his memory, an airline company has revealed how the 39th President of the US followed a ritual every time he boarded their plane.
The White House confirmed on Monday that the official state funeral for Jimmy Carter will take place on January 9 in Washington, DC.
Carter’s ritual on plane
Delta Air Lines honored Carter on the social media platform X, noting how he used to shake hands with every passenger on the plane.“Every time Jimmy Carter flew Delta, he shook hands with each person on the plane. Because that’s who he was. Someone who treated people as people.” A video shared by Delta shows Carter greeting passengers on a flight.
Delta described him as a “great friend, family man, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and leader.”
“Today we celebrate his life—a great friend, family man, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and leader who showed us all how to properly treat those around us,” it added.
Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his work on international peace and humanitarian efforts. His efforts included peace negotiations between Israel and Egypt.
Delta CEO remembers Carter
Delta CEO Ed Bastian also paid tribute to Carter on LinkedIn. “While the world will long remember his many contributions to democracy, I will also remember the countless days he spent at Habitat for Humanity International builds around the world, and the time he took to shake the hands of every single Delta customer and employee when he flew with us.”
“There is much we can learn from his kindness, compassion, and humility. He and [his wife] Rosalynn meant a great deal to all of us at Delta Air Lines and will be sorely missed.” He concluded, “Their legacy lives on through the incredible work of The Carter Center and in the hearts of all those they’ve impacted,” Bastian added.
Carter’s campaign connection with plane
Jimmy Carter used “Peanut One” as his campaign airplane during his presidential run. This nickname for the aircraft reflected his past as a peanut farmer.
