Delta Airlines begins new direct US-China route, serves shark fin soup

by Matt Segal Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

Article Summary:

Delta Airlines recently began flying a non-stop route between Atlanta, Georgia and Shanghai, China, and to commemorate the occasion, held a 10-course banquet in which they served “braised shark’s fin soup with cucumber and fish maw.”

While China decided to ban shark fin soup for the Olympics, stating that it could “greatly hurt China’s national image,” that ban has unfortunately not been extended to other events involving foreign guests.

Amazing they can afford such a wasteful flight... 34,000 gallons of jetfuel for Shanghai to Atlanta and throw the shark fin soup on top of that... all during their "restructuring" process of their out of court bankruptcy. Something isn't right here... Am I missing something? Is there a huge demand in China to hit the Deep South? Or vice versa? Delta never had my business to begin with, I can only hope that company withers away after this...
Posted by Seriola on 2008-04-06 04:05:55 I just posted the message below to Delta's online customer service. Please feel free to copy it and use as well. The more people they hear from, the better: ------------------- I recently learned of Delta's decision to serve shark fin soup to celebrate your inaugural flight to China from Atlanta. Delta’s Global Good mission statement, prominently displayed on your website, claims that your “employees, customers, and community partners together form a force for positive local and global change, dedicated to bettering standards of living and the environment where we and our customers live and work.” As a very frequent domestic and international air traveler, for both business and personal trips, I will be weighing Delta’s irresponsibility and hypocrisy into my future booking decisions. I have no problem whatsoever paying a slightly higher fare if necessary to avoid supporting a business that behaves as irresponsibly as Delta has done here. I understand that you do not serve shark fin soup on any of your flights. However, by serving it even one time – at a banquet in China – you are endorsing shark finning. This is a barbaric practice that is driving the ocean’s sharks to extinction, and one that has been widely condemned among the international community. Even China itself has chosen to ban shark fin soup at the Olympics for fear of reputational damage. I realize that you were simply serving a dish that is commonly enjoyed in China…no big deal given the local customs. You probably generated future flight bookings by treating the crowd to a delicacy. However, Delta missed an opportunity to actually stand behind the “Global Good” values that it claims to espouse. Perhaps you should consider renaming your tag line to “Global Good, depending where we happen to be at the time”. Rest assured that I will be doing everything that I can to share this unfortunate news story with co-workers and friends who also travel frequently. I hope that Delta in the future can show more backbone in making decisions that impact the environment where “we and our customers live and work”. It’s one thing to disregard social and environmental concerns when making decisions; humans have been doing so for centuries. However, it is far worse to publically advertise yourself as being responsible while behind closed doors you continue to make decisions with your bottom line as the guiding light. That is called hypocrisy.
Posted by wuellnert on 2008-04-04 13:43:04 I got the same response from Delta. A form letter.
Posted by mshohman on 2008-04-04 00:30:28 As a follow up to my previous post, below is the email I received from Delta in response to my email to their online customer service: (my note to Delta is included) Please note, the Delta Customer Service email, (hint, hint) Dear Mr. Barrett, Thank you for contacting Delta Air Lines. Shark Fin Soup is not an item served onboard Delta flights. It was served at a one-time banquet in Shanghai intended to celebrate Delta?s inaugural flight there. The banquet menu included dishes commonly served in China for similar feasts. We appreciate your feedback and will take these concerns into consideration for future events. We appreciate your interest in Delta Air Lines. Sincerely, Kynia Douglass Online Customer Support Desk http://www.delta.com Original Message Follows: ------------------------ PERSONAL INFORMATION: Name: Mr Donna Barrett (MS. Donna Barrett!) Email Address : washdclady@mac.com SkyMiles Number: COMMENT DETAILS: Email about Past/Future travel: Current and Future Nature of Comment: Complaint Concern Email Pertaining to: Other Email about Other topic: Environmental Comments: I am a diver and advocate of the banning of the horrible and cruel process of "shark finning" where these animals are caught, merely for their fins, whereupon the fins are removed and the animal is tossed back into the sea to die. AS long as Delta is promoting this horrible action by serving shark fin soup, I will NOT be flying with you on any of my 5 dive trips per year and countless other business trips. Would you like a reply to your e-mail?:yes
Posted by WashDCLady on 2008-04-03 22:46:20 I have also written them about my disgust for this process. I am comforted by others great concern for this as well. I also will not be using them until further notice.
Posted by syntax010011 on 2008-04-03 22:17:08 I have just sent an email to Delta informing them that as a concerned diver and environmentalist, that I would not be flying with them on any of my 5 annual dive trips or numerous other business trips as long as they perpetuate the finning of sharks by serving shark fin soup. I suggest other divers do the same.
Posted by WashDCLady on 2008-04-03 09:43:59