A group of 16 students and four teachers from Lycee Professionel Andre Aliker, a vocational school in Fort-de-France, Martinique, visited Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport during an educational trip June 23-30.

The students are considering careers in the transportation sector, a vital industry in Martinique. The island, an overseas department of France near Venezuela in the southern Caribbean, relies heavily on imports by air and sea.

On a tour arranged by Manny de Barros, protocol official for the airport, the college-aged students met with airport operations officials and viewed the new baggage facility at the North Terminal, as well as one of the airport’s ground control towers.

In addition, the students toured Delta Air Lines Inc.’s Delta Air Transport Heritage Museum, which houses the Spirit of Delta, the first Boeing 767 purchased by an airline, and the Ship 41, the first DC-3 plane to carry Delta passengers.

Delta operates a Boeing 737-800 once a week from Atlanta to Fort-de-France, a non-stop service that it started in December.

Also on hand for the tour was Delta account executive George Blanco, who is based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the airline has an international hub that covers the Caribbean islands.

To give students exposure to the world beyond Martinique, the Andre Aliker school is considering making the trip to Atlanta an annual event, according to Marie-Aimee Disy, one of the teacher-chaperones on the trip.

For more information, contact Christel Coita, marketing and media relations coordinator for the Martinique Promotion Bureau/CMT USA, at christel.coita@franceguide.com.