Originally Posted by
paul21
These are not normal times. Schedule adjustment can't keep up with the real-time changes so there are plenty of day-of DL cancellations for capacity right now.
Yes these are not normal times and this was a DLC flight, not DL. That doesn't change the fact that flights (full or empty) don't operate in a vacuum. Crews and airplanes still have lines of flight to operate. Airplanes still need to end up in maintenance bases to have scheduled checks and work done. Having worked years in system ops, I can tell you load is way down on the list of cancellation criteria.
Most importantly for the OP's situation, like I said before, regionals don't get paid if they don't operate the flights. They could care less whether there are 100% or 0% load factors. They still get paid the same for operating said flights.