Aviramp founder hails 'special relationship' as US veterans return to Normandy

The founder of award-winning aircraft boarding ramp manufacturer Aviramp has hailed the "special relationship" between his company and Delta Air Lines after the two aviation businesses joined forces to safely return US World War II veterans to Normandy.

Graham Corfield, who designed the world's first step-free mobile aviation boarding ramp, was at Deauville-Normandie Airport to welcome veterans as they disembarked Delta flight DL9994 – a Boeing 767-300 widebody jet making the non-stop transatlantic crossing from Atlanta.

The Normandy Legacy Flight – now in its fifth year – is managed by Virginie Durr, Delta Air Lines enterprise sales manager, in partnership with Delta's Veterans Business Resource Group, Best Defense Foundation and Michelin.

Greeting the veterans at the bottom of the ramp on June 3 was First Lady of France Brigitte Macron, the US Ambassador to France Charles Kushner, Best Defense Foundation president and co-founder and former American football star Donnie Edwards, as well as Graham, his wife Lisa and son Adam.

Graham said the partnership with Delta had grown into something far beyond a business relationship.

"What began as a message from Virginie and a meeting of our two teams around a table in a restaurant in Deauville has grown into one of the most meaningful relationships this company has ever had. The Delta team and the Aviramp team now greet each other as friends, and Lisa and I are proud to count the veterans themselves among our friends too.

"This is a UK-US special relationship like no other – and it is built on a shared determination to make sure these incredible men can return to the beaches where they made history and disembark with the dignity and welcome they so richly deserve.

"For Aviramp, supporting this programme is not just something we are proud to do – it is something we feel a deep responsibility to do. These veterans gave everything so that the rest of us could live in freedom. The very least we can do is make sure they arrive back in Normandy safely, comfortably and surrounded by people who are honoured to be in their presence."

The operation at Deauville is led by Christine Marchand-Pardo, Delta's managing director of operations for Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, whose mother was a member of the French Resistance during World War II. As the aircraft door opens, Christine is always the first to greet the veterans at the top of the Aviramp.

Christine said: "For all of us, the magic happens the moment that door opens and we see our US veterans in front of us. Their energy, their humour, their spirit – it's unforgettable. Even at 100 years old, they're like young people experiencing the trip of a lifetime."

The flight brings together American World War II heroes and students on an emotional journey to Normandy's beaches, preserving first-hand accounts of the war while creating educational experiences for young people who will carry these stories forward.

Deauville-Normandie Airport typically handles small leisure aircraft and seasonal flights, making the arrival of a 400,000-pound Boeing 767-300 widebody jet a significant logistical challenge. Delta's airport customer service and TechOps teams worked for weeks in advance to plan every aspect of the operation, from parking and baggage handling to check-in and boarding, building a temporary operation from the ground up. The Aviramp – donated to the airport in 2025 – was central to solving one of the key challenges the small airport presented, providing a safe and dignified way for elderly veterans, many with reduced mobility, to board and deplane an aircraft that would not normally operate there.

Training manager Ross Underhill was on duty to bring the custom-built step-free ramp up to the aircraft door.

The occasion marked the culmination of a memorable week for the Aviramp team, who had spent two days touring the D-Day landing sites in Normandy ahead of the flight's arrival.

Adam Corfield, Aviramp’s head of global sales, said: "With rain and wind sweeping across the tarmac as the veterans disembarked, the Aviramp's slip-proof surface and stair-free access proved invaluable, ensuring every veteran could make their way safely off the aircraft without the risks that wet steps or uneven ground can present for those with reduced mobility."

Aviramp is the global leader in its sector with some 950 of its ramps now in use across the globe. Its boarding ramps and bridges are used when an aircraft is parked on a remote stand and offer a safe, dignified alternative to stairs and separate ambulifts for wheelchair users and those passengers with reduced mobility. The low-angled ramps are fitted with a unique non-slip surface to improve safety for all passengers and help improve turnaround times and efficiency for airlines, airports and ground handlers.

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Editors notes

Aviramp boarding ramps and bridges are used when an aircraft is parked on a remote stand and offer a safe, dignified alternative to stairs and separate ambulifts for wheelchair users and those passengers with reduced mobility.

The low-angled ramps are fitted with a unique non-slip surface to improve safety for all passengers and help improve turnaround times and efficiency for airlines, airports and ground handlers.