US: Major airlines donate to the National Air and Space Museum

Nine major commercial airlines have donated money to the National Air and Space Museum. The total gift amounts to $28m. The money will go towards a transformation of the Washington, DC, building. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer. In support of the new “America by Air” gallery, American Airlines, The Delta Air Lines Foundation and United contributed as lead donors with Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Spirit Airlines also supporting the effort. In recognition of a gift from Southwest Airlines, the Welcome Center in the museum’s “Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall” has been designated the Southwest Airlines Welcome Center. “These gifts help launch the museum on a trajectory to realizing the transformation of this important place,” said Gen. J.R. “Jack” Dailey, the John and Adrienne Mars director of the National Air and Space Museum.<br/>