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Capt. Malik Sinegal, a Delta Air Lines pilot, recently completed a flight from New York’s JFK Airport to Dakar, Senegal that held special meaning for him and his family. The journey on November 18 marked the first time Capt. Sinegal and his relatives returned to Senegal since their ancestors left the country in the late 1600s.
“This trip was personal for us,” Sinegal said. “My last name is Sinegal, which originally came from Senegal. Over time, through pronunciation and translation, it changed to Sinegal.”
The occasion was made more significant as it was also the first time Capt. Sinegal flew his family on a Delta flight. Among those traveling with him was his grandfather, who was unaware that his grandson would be piloting the plane.
“I purchased his ticket and kept that detail from him,” Sinegal explained. “I was raised by my grandmother and grandfather in Biloxi, Mississippi. My grandmother passed away in 2017, so it meant a great deal to me to be able to fly my grandfather for the first time on a Delta flight.”
Capt. Sinegal’s father was also aboard; he had previously only flown with his son during student pilot training sessions. The crew included First Officers Azar Myles and Jason Voudrie—both close friends and colleagues at Delta—along with Sinegal’s godmother and her mother, who played roles in introducing him to aviation.
Reflecting on the experience, Capt. Sinegal described it as an important moment honoring heritage and family ties.
“To return to Senegal as a Delta pilot, with the people who inspired and supported me, is something I’ll never forget.”
