Apr 8, 2017, 1:28 pm
Last edit by: Renes Points
Great explanation about Crew Tracking & Scheduling and what went wrong: Post #590
[Feel free to edit / add to the timeline of DL events.]
First waver ATL only and only 5-7 and by 11th: https://web.archive.org/web/20170406...perations.html
Second waver "all" hubs and 5-9 and by 16th: https://web.archive.org/web/20170407...perations.html
April 6th COO Gil West apology and blames "unprecedented" ( 5 hour ) storm / weather: http://news.delta.com/chief-operatin...cedented-storm
April 7 & 8 Five things to know list: http://news.delta.com/5-things-custo...tions-saturday
April 7th In midst of service fail Delta devalues SkyMiles with partners: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...000-miles.html
April 8th updates on operations: http://news.delta.com/operational-re...ontinues-today
April 12th will be $DAL earnings live and should yield more info: http://ir.delta.com/news-and-events/...s/default.aspx
April 9, 11:40 PM (EDT): What appears to be the last cancellation of the meltdown was made for DL2682/10Apr BOS-LGA (717 aircraft)
April 11th - Delta begins to pay out compensation for impacted travelers: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-air-lines-skymiles/1835970-early-april-operation-disruption-compensation.html
Other coverage of the event:
Pilots board relating to this epic fail: https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/d...-atl-irop.html
Factors compounding delays/cancellations:
Current delay statistics: Flightaware's live flight delay and cancellation statistics
News coverage:
BuzzFeedNews: Delta Has Canceled Thousands Of Flights And Everyone Is In Hell - No spring break is safe. (Posted on April 7, 2017, at 11:59 a.m.)
The Southampton Press: Cancelled Flight Dashes Disney Dream For Hampton Bays Marching Band (April 7, 2017 11:30 AM)
USA Today: Thousands of Delta flights canceled days after storms (Published 8:53 a.m. ET April 8, 2017)
CNN - Delta meltdown: Pilots are on hold, too (Updated 6:52 PM ET, Sat April 8, 2017)
The Wall Street Journal - Delta Struggles to Recover From Last Week’s Storms (April 9, 2017 12:23 p.m. ET)
AJC.com: Delta woes stretch into Sunday with more cancellations (11:57 a.m. Sunday, April 9, 2017)
AJC.com: Why one day of thunderstorms turned into a five-day Delta meltdown (12:01 p.m Sunday, April 9, 2017)
Detroit Free Press: Headaches continue for Delta fliers in Detroit (Published 2:26 p.m. ET April 9, 2017 Updated 5:54 p.m. ET April 9, 2017)
CNN - Delta tries to 'normalize' as flight cancellations continue (Updated 4:06 PM ET, Sun April 9, 2017)
New York Times: Storms, Though Over, Still Disrupt Delta Flights (APRIL 9, 2017)
NewsChannel5.com - Nashville Man's Body Stranded After Delta Flight Chaos (4:24 PM April 9, 2017)
CBS North Carolina: Raleigh parents upset after son’s body stranded during Delta flight chaos (April 9, 2017, 8:14 pm Updated: April 10, 2017, 5:35 am)
AJC.com: Delta reassures customers as delays continue through weekend (5:53 p.m Sunday, April 9, 2017)
AJC.com: Hundreds of stranded bags left at Hartsfield-Jackson in aftermath of Delta flight cancellations (9:29 a.m. Monday, April 10, 2017)
Bloomberg: Delta Delays Drag On, Testing Passengers' Patience (April 9, 2017, 4:10 PM EDT Updated On April 10, 2017, 10:13 AM EDT)
BuzzFeedNews: Delta Suffered "Failure of Crew Tracking Systems" During Cancelled Flight Fiasco - "I feel like we are lost in the system." (Originally posted on April 11, 2017, at 3:28 p.m. Updated on April 12, 2017, at 10:38 a.m. )
Reuters (posted on BusinessInsider): Delta's profit drops 36.3% (Apr. 12, 2017, 7:20 AM)
AJC.com - Accused child rapist caught at airport when flight is delayed (7:39 p.m Thursday, April 13, 2017)
[Feel free to edit / add to the timeline of DL events.]
First waver ATL only and only 5-7 and by 11th: https://web.archive.org/web/20170406...perations.html
Second waver "all" hubs and 5-9 and by 16th: https://web.archive.org/web/20170407...perations.html
April 6th COO Gil West apology and blames "unprecedented" ( 5 hour ) storm / weather: http://news.delta.com/chief-operatin...cedented-storm
April 7 & 8 Five things to know list: http://news.delta.com/5-things-custo...tions-saturday
April 7th In midst of service fail Delta devalues SkyMiles with partners: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...000-miles.html
April 8th updates on operations: http://news.delta.com/operational-re...ontinues-today
April 12th will be $DAL earnings live and should yield more info: http://ir.delta.com/news-and-events/...s/default.aspx
April 9, 11:40 PM (EDT): What appears to be the last cancellation of the meltdown was made for DL2682/10Apr BOS-LGA (717 aircraft)
April 11th - Delta begins to pay out compensation for impacted travelers: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta-air-lines-skymiles/1835970-early-april-operation-disruption-compensation.html
Other coverage of the event:
Pilots board relating to this epic fail: https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/d...-atl-irop.html
Factors compounding delays/cancellations:
- Weather in ATL April 5
- DL terminating interline with AA
- Delta's systems crashing/overloaded
- DL's crew scheduling system crashed [rumor?]
- Rumored short-term power outage in ATL A concourse caused by airport construction some time around Tuesday-Wednesday
Current delay statistics: Flightaware's live flight delay and cancellation statistics
News coverage:
BuzzFeedNews: Delta Has Canceled Thousands Of Flights And Everyone Is In Hell - No spring break is safe. (Posted on April 7, 2017, at 11:59 a.m.)
The Southampton Press: Cancelled Flight Dashes Disney Dream For Hampton Bays Marching Band (April 7, 2017 11:30 AM)
USA Today: Thousands of Delta flights canceled days after storms (Published 8:53 a.m. ET April 8, 2017)
CNN - Delta meltdown: Pilots are on hold, too (Updated 6:52 PM ET, Sat April 8, 2017)
The Wall Street Journal - Delta Struggles to Recover From Last Week’s Storms (April 9, 2017 12:23 p.m. ET)
AJC.com: Delta woes stretch into Sunday with more cancellations (11:57 a.m. Sunday, April 9, 2017)
AJC.com: Why one day of thunderstorms turned into a five-day Delta meltdown (12:01 p.m Sunday, April 9, 2017)
Detroit Free Press: Headaches continue for Delta fliers in Detroit (Published 2:26 p.m. ET April 9, 2017 Updated 5:54 p.m. ET April 9, 2017)
CNN - Delta tries to 'normalize' as flight cancellations continue (Updated 4:06 PM ET, Sun April 9, 2017)
New York Times: Storms, Though Over, Still Disrupt Delta Flights (APRIL 9, 2017)
NewsChannel5.com - Nashville Man's Body Stranded After Delta Flight Chaos (4:24 PM April 9, 2017)
CBS North Carolina: Raleigh parents upset after son’s body stranded during Delta flight chaos (April 9, 2017, 8:14 pm Updated: April 10, 2017, 5:35 am)
AJC.com: Delta reassures customers as delays continue through weekend (5:53 p.m Sunday, April 9, 2017)
AJC.com: Hundreds of stranded bags left at Hartsfield-Jackson in aftermath of Delta flight cancellations (9:29 a.m. Monday, April 10, 2017)
Bloomberg: Delta Delays Drag On, Testing Passengers' Patience (April 9, 2017, 4:10 PM EDT Updated On April 10, 2017, 10:13 AM EDT)
BuzzFeedNews: Delta Suffered "Failure of Crew Tracking Systems" During Cancelled Flight Fiasco - "I feel like we are lost in the system." (Originally posted on April 11, 2017, at 3:28 p.m. Updated on April 12, 2017, at 10:38 a.m. )
Reuters (posted on BusinessInsider): Delta's profit drops 36.3% (Apr. 12, 2017, 7:20 AM)
AJC.com - Accused child rapist caught at airport when flight is delayed (7:39 p.m Thursday, April 13, 2017)
April 5, 2017: Delta cancels 300 flights due to thunderstorm
Apr 7, 2017, 8:23 am
#257
Join Date: Apr 2006
Programs: All of em more or less
Posts: 367
New York remains in bad shape too. Delta line didn't pick up this morning when I tried from about 8-9am. Hold times of over an hour for DM but down significantly from yesterday. Agents doing a great job once you get through.
Apr 7, 2017, 8:26 am
#258
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Treasure Coast, FL
Programs: DL Diamond, Marriott LT Plat, HH Diamond, Avis Preferred Plus, National Executive
Posts: 4,578
Apr 7, 2017, 9:21 am
#259
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ATL Lost Luggage
Programs: Kettle with Kryptonium Medallion Tags
Posts: 10,321
All told, Delta said it has cancelled about 3,000 flights this week due to the thunderstorm and the ensuing crew and aircraft positioning issues -- making the total impact greater than the massive system outage it experienced last year and snowstorms that virtually shut down flights at an airport.
Apr 7, 2017, 9:49 am
#260
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: CLE
Programs: UA Gold, DL DM, UA 1K, MR PP
Posts: 352
Flight tonight DFW - ATL - CLE canceled this morning. Have not been able to get through to customer service, but when searching google flights there are zero options on Delta to get out of DFW.
Apr 7, 2017, 10:06 am
#261
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM; UA 1K; AA 1MM
Posts: 4,520
DAL-CLE has Y availability Sunday morning.
Of course, in IRROPS, availability is fluid so hopefully something will open up.
Apr 7, 2017, 10:10 am
#262
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles
Posts: 4,161
I would probably go ahead and do the AA nonstop, then ask DL for the refund once things settle down.
Apr 7, 2017, 10:11 am
#263
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: DTW and ORD
Posts: 667
That's what happens when you refuse to completely shut operations down, and instead run flight 8, 10, 12 hours late. Crews end up timing out, airplanes are in the wrong places and people aren't where they need to be either.
Apr 7, 2017, 10:19 am
#264
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 6,712
The main failures during this event seemed to be a poor ATL staffing situation, and DL's refusal to issue a waiver until it was too late to help most people. Both issues are hardly new unfortunately.
It also highlighted the shortcomings of the website, specifically the inability to change flights in many cases without calling. That (along with the online SDC system) needs to be fixed ASAP.
I would also say that Delta needs to rethink how it does its phone system, especially during IRROPS. In 2017, the traditional CS phone bank seems rather inefficient, especially when a lot of the functions could be replicated in a telework setting. Perhaps DL should explore adding a large number of part-time contractors who work from home, and could be brought online during major IRROP events. Eight hour hold times are simply unacceptable.
Last edited by KDCAflyer; Apr 7, 2017 at 10:25 am
Apr 7, 2017, 10:26 am
#265
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Treasure Coast, FL
Programs: DL Diamond, Marriott LT Plat, HH Diamond, Avis Preferred Plus, National Executive
Posts: 4,578
1553 MSP-ATL delayed 1.5 hours and my guess is crew issues. Plane is landing on time from SEA.
1956 ATL-MIA is showing delayed 1 hour and the app says the plane is in ATL and landed yesterday from CHS. Crew issue I suppose?
At MSP they were boxe of blankets and pillows in the main mall concourse so would assume some spent the night here.
1956 ATL-MIA is showing delayed 1 hour and the app says the plane is in ATL and landed yesterday from CHS. Crew issue I suppose?
At MSP they were boxe of blankets and pillows in the main mall concourse so would assume some spent the night here.
Apr 7, 2017, 10:28 am
#266
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MSP
Posts: 164
I'm not sure if that would have made any difference. There were a ton of diversions too, and in general it seems better to keep as much of the system moving as possible rather than completely shutting it down.
The main failures during this event were a poor ATL staffing situation, and DL's refusal to issue a waiver until it was too late to help most people.
It also highlighted the shortcomings of the website, specifically the inability to change flights in many cases without calling. That (along with the online SDC system) needs to be fixed ASAP.
I would also say that Delta needs to rethink how it does its phone system, especially during IRROPS. In 2017, the traditional CS phone bank seems rather inefficient, especially when a lot of the functions could be replicated in a telework setting. Perhaps DL should explore adding a large number of part-time contractors who work from home, and could be brought online during major IRROP events. Eight hour hold times are simply unacceptable.
The main failures during this event were a poor ATL staffing situation, and DL's refusal to issue a waiver until it was too late to help most people.
It also highlighted the shortcomings of the website, specifically the inability to change flights in many cases without calling. That (along with the online SDC system) needs to be fixed ASAP.
I would also say that Delta needs to rethink how it does its phone system, especially during IRROPS. In 2017, the traditional CS phone bank seems rather inefficient, especially when a lot of the functions could be replicated in a telework setting. Perhaps DL should explore adding a large number of part-time contractors who work from home, and could be brought online during major IRROP events. Eight hour hold times are simply unacceptable.
The problem with part time phone reps is the system is relatively complicated and if you're not in it every day, you lose a lot of ability.
I tried my best to pitch in but what used to take me 2 min was taking 20 and I used to be one of the top performers there before I got promoted.
I hope everyone gets gets to where they're going safely!
Apr 7, 2017, 10:42 am
#267
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 6,712
I know the department next to me was offering TRIPPLE OT pay if you put in an extra 5 hours over 2 days.
The problem with part time phone reps is the system is relatively complicated and if you're not in it every day, you lose a lot of ability.
I tried my best to pitch in but what used to take me 2 min was taking 20 and I used to be one of the top performers there before I got promoted.
I hope everyone gets gets to where they're going safely!
The problem with part time phone reps is the system is relatively complicated and if you're not in it every day, you lose a lot of ability.
I tried my best to pitch in but what used to take me 2 min was taking 20 and I used to be one of the top performers there before I got promoted.
I hope everyone gets gets to where they're going safely!
Apr 7, 2017, 10:53 am
#269
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: SMF/HPN
Programs: DL DM, AS MVP, Hilton Gold, IHG Plat, SPG Gold, TSA PreCheck
Posts: 464
Apr 7, 2017, 11:02 am
#270
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: WN, AA, UA, DL
Posts: 1,313
I'm sure they will still claim weather, but in reality this isn't weather anymore. This is the result of their poor operational decisions. Passengers are SOL.