Delta invited us in for an exclusive behind the scenes look as workers shuttled giant jets across the tarmac. It's a view few passengers ever get to see.
At JFK, Delta has a fleet of six super tugs, worth as much as $1 million a piece. They move 60-70 planes per day. Because the airline's hub at Terminal 4 has fewer gates than flights per day, workers from the "Move Team" hook up super tugs to an airliner as soon as passengers disembark, and then tow it to a remote location for servicing and maintenance, freeing up the gate for the next arrival. Eventually, when the plane's been cleaned, catered and prepped for its next flight, a super tug will return it to the gate, so passengers can board.