About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

More articles by Gary Leff »

Delta Passengers Flee Smoke-Filled Cabin, Evacuate Via Slides—Some Still Grab Carry-Ons

Feb 24 2025

A Delta Air Lines Boeing 717, operating as Flight DL876 from Atlanta to Columbia, South Carolina was forced to make an emergency landing today after the cabin filled with smoke just after takeoff. The 25-year old ex-AirTran aircraft which was acquired from Southwest Airlines, had 94 passengers and 5 crew on board. Both the cockpit and passenger cabin became enveloped in thick grey haze.

Continue Reading »