Editing Delta Air Lines (section)

===Early history===
The history of Delta Air Lines began with the world's first aerial crop dusting operation called [[Huff Daland Dusters]], Inc. The company was founded on March 2, 1925, in [[Macon, Georgia]], before moving to [[Monroe, Louisiana]], in the summer of 1925.<ref name="Founding">{{cite web|url=https://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/delta-history/founding|title=Founding|website=www.deltamuseum.org|access-date=October 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001235928/https://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/delta-history/founding|archive-date=October 1, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> It flew a Huff-Daland Duster, the first true crop duster, designed to combat the [[boll weevil]] infestation of cotton crops.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/delta-history/aircraft-by-type/crop-duster/Huff-Daland-Duster|title=Huff Daland Duster, 1925-ca.1948|website=www.deltamuseum.org|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002171508/http://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/delta-history/aircraft-by-type/crop-duster/Huff-Daland-Duster|archive-date=October 2, 2019|access-date=October 2, 2019}}</ref> [[Collett E. Woolman|C.E. Woolman]], general manager and later Delta's first CEO, led a group of local investors to acquire the company's assets. Delta Air Service was incorporated on December 3, 1928, and was named after the [[Mississippi Delta]] region.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Delta: The History of an Airline|last=Lewis and Newton|publisher=University of Georgia Press|year=1979|location=Athens, Ga.|pages=20–21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/delta-history/leaders|title=C.E. Woolman|website=Delta Flight Museum|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414091209/http://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/delta-history/leaders|archive-date=April 14, 2019}}</ref><ref name="journey">{{cite web |last=Gay |first=Charles |date=April 4, 2019 |title=Delta's history: From dusting crops to connecting the world |url=https://news.delta.com/deltas-history-dusting-crops-connecting-world |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717125757/https://news.delta.com/deltas-journey-timeline |archive-date=July 17, 2019 |access-date=October 18, 2023 |publisher=Delta News Hub}}</ref>

Passenger operations began on June 17, 1929,<ref name=NAAH>{{cite book|last1=Norwood |first1=Tom |last2=Wegg |first2=John |title=North American Airlines Handbook |publisher=Airways International |location=Sandpoint, Idaho |year=2002 |edition=3rd |isbn=0-9653993-8-9 |page=40}}</ref> from [[Dallas]], Texas, to [[Jackson, Mississippi]], with stops at [[Shreveport, Louisiana|Shreveport]] and Monroe, Louisiana. By June 1930, service had extended east to [[Atlanta]] and west to [[Fort Worth, Texas]].<ref name="First Flights">{{cite web|url=https://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/delta-history/first-flights|title=First Flights|website=www.deltamuseum.org|access-date=October 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001235937/http://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/delta-history/first-flights|archive-date=October 1, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Passenger service ceased in October 1930 when the airmail contract for the route Delta had pioneered was awarded to another airline, which purchased the assets of Delta Air Service. Local banker Travis Oliver, acting as a trustee, C.E. Woolman, and other local investors purchased back the crop-dusting assets of Delta Air Service and incorporated as Delta Air Corporation on December 31, 1930.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deltamuseum.org/delta-history/founding|title=Founding-From Huff Daland Dusters to Delta Air Lines|website=deltamuseum.org|access-date= June 26, 2024}}</ref>

Delta Air Corporation secured an airmail contract in 1934, and began doing business as Delta Air Lines over Mail Route 24, stretching from Fort Worth, Texas, to Charleston, South Carolina.<ref name="First Flights"/><ref>{{Cite book|title=Delta: The History of an Airline|last=Lewis and Newton|publisher=University of Georgia Press|year=1979|location=Athens, Ga.|pages=28–29, 43}}</ref><ref name="Founding"/> Delta moved its headquarters from Monroe, Louisiana, to its current location in Atlanta in 1941.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.deltamuseum.org/docs/site/brochure/headquarters_booklet_2019edits.pdf?sfvrsn=2db8be21_2|title=Historic Aerospace Site: Delta Air Lines Headquarters, Atlanta, Georgia|work=American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001235958/http://www.deltamuseum.org/docs/site/brochure/headquarters_booklet_2019edits.pdf?sfvrsn=2db8be21_2|archive-date=October 1, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The company name officially became Delta Air Lines in 1945.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/delta-history/timeline/decades/1940|title=1940s|website=www.deltamuseum.org|access-date=October 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001235925/https://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/delta-history/timeline/decades/1940|archive-date=October 1, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1946, the company commenced regularly scheduled [[freight transport]]. In 1949, the company launched the first discounted fares between [[Chicago]] and [[Miami]]. In 1953, the company launched its first international routes after the acquisition of [[Chicago and Southern Air Lines]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/delta-history/family-tree/chicago-southern-air-lines|title=Chicago & Southern Air Lines|website=www.deltamuseum.org|access-date=October 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428062154/http://www.deltamuseum.org/exhibits/delta-history/family-tree/chicago-southern-air-lines|archive-date=April 28, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1959, it was the first airline to fly the [[Douglas DC-8]]. In 1960, it was the first airline to fly [[Convair 880]] jets. In 1964, it launched the Deltamatic reservation systems using computers in the [[IBM 7070]] series. In 1965, Delta was the first airline to fly the [[McDonnell Douglas DC-9]].