A Holiday That Doesn’t Stop for Everyone
Today, September 7th, is Labor Day in America — a national holiday meant to honor the workers who make this country run. Except, of course, America doesn’t actually stop. Medical personnel, aviation personnel, security personnel, border personnel, restaurant workers — they’re all still working today, just like every other day. It seems like federal workers and banks are the main ones who actually get the day off. But that’s a digression for another post.
Thank You to Everyone Who Makes Travel Possible
Since this is written on a travel site built to help new travelers, retirees, and almost-retirees, we want to use today to publicly thank the people who make the aviation and travel industry work. Not just the visible ones — the pilots, flight attendants, train operators and conductors — but everyone behind them. The check-in agents at the counter. The baggage handlers. The employees who keep the airport lounges clean and running. The cooks preparing the food in those lounges and on those flights. All the people working behind the scenes who rarely get the credit they deserve, every time we enjoy a flight, a lounge visit, or an arrival.
Without those regular, behind-the-scenes workers, the travel industry could not function. And to be clear, we’re not talking about the airline executives pulling in hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars a year. We’re talking about the real, hard-working people — the ones actually doing the work that keeps an airline running, often for a lot less recognition and a lot less pay.
A Little Kindness Goes a Long Way
We genuinely appreciate everyone involved, and on every trip, we make a point of thanking the people who help us — whether it’s a check-in agent, someone working the Delta Lounge, or a gate agent handling a difficult situation with a full flight of frustrated passengers. You’d be surprised how much a simple thank-you or a kind word can mean to someone having a stressful day. We never take them for granted and truly appreciate them.
We also appreciate the pilots and flight attendants – those who are responsible for our safety and well being. They are the public face of the airline and the Delta pilots and FAs are a big reason we are loyal to Delta.
There’s a Delta Lounge attendant in Orlando who remembers us every time we come through, and we make it a point to be just as friendly back to her. That kind of relationship doesn’t happen by accident on either end.
Breakfast at Waffle House
A small example: this morning, I didn’t feel like making breakfast. I cook for my wife and daughter every weekend, but today I took a break, and we went to Waffle House instead. The food was great, the service was fast, and our waitress was genuinely kind. They were all hard at work while we sat back and enjoyed a meal someone else prepared for us. That’s Labor Day in miniature, right there.
A Brazilian Holiday, Too
September 7th also happens to be Brazil’s Independence Day. My wife and daughter are Brazilian, so it’s a meaningful day in our house — I fly the Brazilian flag alongside everything else today. An American holiday and a Brazilian holiday, landing on the same day, capped off with a Waffle House breakfast. I love it.
The Unofficial Start of Fall
Labor Day weekend has also traditionally been the weekend I take down summer decorations and start transforming the house for fall and Halloween. My mom did this every year growing up, and I’ve kept the tradition going. Halloween and Christmas are my two favorite holidays, and I’ve got the boxes of decorations to prove it. Fall is my favorite season — the changing leaves, the cooler weather, that first hint of Christmas in the air, and the slow shift from shorts and tank tops to jackets and sport coats as the season goes on. I’ve also got a soft spot for Día de los Muertos decor, so plenty of sugar skulls make an appearance too.
So Labor Day, for us, is two things at once: a day to genuinely appreciate the millions of people who keep this country running, and the unofficial kickoff to turning the house into a fall wonderland.
Buddy and Jordan
Do you have any traditions you observe around Labor Day? Share your destination in the comments. And for more travel tips, subscribe to our Newsletter — new posts every week.