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 5, 2017, 9:51 pm
#92
Join Date: May 2015
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Apr 5, 2017, 10:03 pm
#93
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: RDU
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Posts: 2,652
Exactly. I was done with the ATL nonsense, so I booked AA.
Apr 5, 2017, 10:04 pm
#94
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What a mess. Thanks for all the updates. How late will the last SC be open tonight in ATL? 
Apr 5, 2017, 10:23 pm
#96
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Minneapolis, MN (MSP)
Programs: DL DM, UA 1K MM, Subway Club Member
Posts: 1,988
Wouldn't blame you for avoiding the ATL after-effects, but it looks like your (delayed) MCI-ATL is scheduled into ATL at 11:07am tomorrow. There are number of seats available on the 12:40pm ATL-RDU. (there are a seats available on the 11:27am ATL-RDU as well, but that's too tight). There's also a seat available on the 2:50pm and a few on the 5:54pm.
At what point is it a meltdown? This seems to be clearly a perfect storm (literally) and very poor IRROPS handling/recovery by Delta.
Apr 5, 2017, 10:30 pm
#97
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Minneapolis, MN (MSP)
Programs: DL DM, UA 1K MM, Subway Club Member
Posts: 1,988
How did this event catch DL so much off-guard, the NWS was forecasting this a few days in advance? The DM phone lines have a 3+ hour wait and most rebooking options are (for me at least) days in the future. They have yet to issue any sort of waiver and the MSP Skyclub is holding firm on a no OAL stance. Reminds me of the "No Waivers, No Favors" days of CO.
Last edited by kenn0223; Apr 5, 2017 at 10:37 pm
Apr 5, 2017, 10:51 pm
#98
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: IND
Programs: DL PM | Kimpton IC | IHG RA | HH Diamond
Posts: 107
Apr 5, 2017, 10:51 pm
#99
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: DTW
Programs: DL - PM, (NW - Plat), AA - Gold, Marriott - Plat, Avis - First
Posts: 955
Just to re-cap today Wed April 5th:
- ATL experiences heavy thunderstorm activity for most of the day resulting in multi-hour ground stops, closing the ramp due to storms/lightning, cancelling 300+ flights, diverting dozens of other flights from the West Coast, Carribean, Int'l to DFW/MEM/CLT/SAV, and for what was averaging between 4-6 hour+ delays for what domestic mainline flights were flown
- DTW experienced a ground stop and ramp closure when thunderstorms rolled through during the 5pm departure bank, then causing most flights for the balance of the evening to be running 1-1.5 hours behind, not to mention the massive delays cascading for any flights that involved aircraft routed through ATL earlier in the day (several 4-6 hour delays at DTW attributed to aircraft from ATL)
- MSP had some type of TSA-security related incident that was causing checkpoint delays
- Crews and aircraft out of position all over the system
- Due to high demand of rebooking, re-routes, and other high demand many of DL's systems were experiencing periodic outages. At various times today, the app was down, kiosks were down, the system for dispatching flights was down, among other things.
- Spring break travel period with full flights, resulting many times the next available flights with open seats after all the cancellations and were on Friday & Saturday.
Rough day to be traveling on Delta.
- ATL experiences heavy thunderstorm activity for most of the day resulting in multi-hour ground stops, closing the ramp due to storms/lightning, cancelling 300+ flights, diverting dozens of other flights from the West Coast, Carribean, Int'l to DFW/MEM/CLT/SAV, and for what was averaging between 4-6 hour+ delays for what domestic mainline flights were flown
- DTW experienced a ground stop and ramp closure when thunderstorms rolled through during the 5pm departure bank, then causing most flights for the balance of the evening to be running 1-1.5 hours behind, not to mention the massive delays cascading for any flights that involved aircraft routed through ATL earlier in the day (several 4-6 hour delays at DTW attributed to aircraft from ATL)
- MSP had some type of TSA-security related incident that was causing checkpoint delays
- Crews and aircraft out of position all over the system
- Due to high demand of rebooking, re-routes, and other high demand many of DL's systems were experiencing periodic outages. At various times today, the app was down, kiosks were down, the system for dispatching flights was down, among other things.
- Spring break travel period with full flights, resulting many times the next available flights with open seats after all the cancellations and were on Friday & Saturday.
Rough day to be traveling on Delta.
Apr 5, 2017, 10:58 pm
#100
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
I think my flight (DL1757) was the last one to get out of DFW. Next departure on FlightAware shows at 5:45 tomorrow morning.
We departed with 40 empty seats. This, despite hundreds of people frantically waiting in line at all of the gates and at the counter in the DFW SkyClub asking when they could get to ATL and who were told Friday was the earliest possible day. What the heck?? This is a 757 on a 1.5-hour flight--it certainly wasn't a weight issue or anything. When I got to the gate, the GA was boarding us by highlighting names off of a printout. Our GA's excuse for the boarding procedure and inability to add other passengers was because she was keeping the flight as it was originally booked from SNA. That's pretty poor (and she had a pretty bad, stressed, snappy attitude, too...not a good representative for Delta). Delta should have found a way to fill those empty seats.
That said, I'm grateful for the empty middle next to me and that I didn't have to fight my way through hours of phone hold times or long rebooking lines. But it is frustrating to see things being handled so poorly.
We departed with 40 empty seats. This, despite hundreds of people frantically waiting in line at all of the gates and at the counter in the DFW SkyClub asking when they could get to ATL and who were told Friday was the earliest possible day. What the heck?? This is a 757 on a 1.5-hour flight--it certainly wasn't a weight issue or anything. When I got to the gate, the GA was boarding us by highlighting names off of a printout. Our GA's excuse for the boarding procedure and inability to add other passengers was because she was keeping the flight as it was originally booked from SNA. That's pretty poor (and she had a pretty bad, stressed, snappy attitude, too...not a good representative for Delta). Delta should have found a way to fill those empty seats.
That said, I'm grateful for the empty middle next to me and that I didn't have to fight my way through hours of phone hold times or long rebooking lines. But it is frustrating to see things being handled so poorly.
Apr 5, 2017, 11:03 pm
#101
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Minneapolis, MN (MSP)
Programs: DL DM, UA 1K MM, Subway Club Member
Posts: 1,988
Just to re-cap today Wed April 5th:
- ATL experiences heavy thunderstorm activity for most of the day resulting in multi-hour ground stops, closing the ramp due to storms/lightning, cancelling 300+ flights, diverting dozens of other flights from the West Coast, Carribean, Int'l to DFW/MEM/CLT/SAV, and for what was averaging between 4-6 hour+ delays for what domestic mainline flights were flown
- DTW experienced a ground stop and ramp closure when thunderstorms rolled through during the 5pm departure bank, then causing most flights for the balance of the evening to be running 1-1.5 hours behind, not to mention the massive delays cascading for any flights that involved aircraft routed through ATL earlier in the day (several 4-6 hour delays at DTW attributed to aircraft from ATL)
- MSP had some type of TSA-security related incident that was causing checkpoint delays
- Crews and aircraft out of position all over the system
- Due to high demand of rebooking, re-routes, and other high demand many of DL's systems were experiencing periodic outages. At various times today, the app was down, kiosks were down, the system for dispatching flights was down, among other things.
- Spring break travel period with full flights, resulting many times the next available flights with open seats after all the cancellations and were on Friday & Saturday.
Rough day to be traveling on Delta.
- ATL experiences heavy thunderstorm activity for most of the day resulting in multi-hour ground stops, closing the ramp due to storms/lightning, cancelling 300+ flights, diverting dozens of other flights from the West Coast, Carribean, Int'l to DFW/MEM/CLT/SAV, and for what was averaging between 4-6 hour+ delays for what domestic mainline flights were flown
- DTW experienced a ground stop and ramp closure when thunderstorms rolled through during the 5pm departure bank, then causing most flights for the balance of the evening to be running 1-1.5 hours behind, not to mention the massive delays cascading for any flights that involved aircraft routed through ATL earlier in the day (several 4-6 hour delays at DTW attributed to aircraft from ATL)
- MSP had some type of TSA-security related incident that was causing checkpoint delays
- Crews and aircraft out of position all over the system
- Due to high demand of rebooking, re-routes, and other high demand many of DL's systems were experiencing periodic outages. At various times today, the app was down, kiosks were down, the system for dispatching flights was down, among other things.
- Spring break travel period with full flights, resulting many times the next available flights with open seats after all the cancellations and were on Friday & Saturday.
Rough day to be traveling on Delta.
A series of events that, in and of themselves, would have been manageable but when occurring simultaneously result in a critical event.
P.S. the "TSA Event" at MSP was an abandoned bag in a restroom near the G SkyClub and was over within 10 minutes.
P.P. S at 12:05am CDT wait times on the DL line are 2:55+ and DL has still yet to issue a waiver.
Last edited by kenn0223; Apr 5, 2017 at 11:09 pm
Apr 5, 2017, 11:52 pm
#102
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Posts: 42,953
I think my flight (DL1757) was the last one to get out of DFW. Next departure on FlightAware shows at 5:45 tomorrow morning.
We departed with 40 empty seats. This, despite hundreds of people frantically waiting in line at all of the gates and at the counter in the DFW SkyClub asking when they could get to ATL and who were told Friday was the earliest possible day. What the heck?? This is a 757 on a 1.5-hour flight--it certainly wasn't a weight issue or anything. When I got to the gate, the GA was boarding us by highlighting names off of a printout. Our GA's excuse for the boarding procedure and inability to add other passengers was because she was keeping the flight as it was originally booked from SNA. That's pretty poor (and she had a pretty bad, stressed, snappy attitude, too...not a good representative for Delta). Delta should have found a way to fill those empty seats.
That said, I'm grateful for the empty middle next to me and that I didn't have to fight my way through hours of phone hold times or long rebooking lines. But it is frustrating to see things being handled so poorly.
We departed with 40 empty seats. This, despite hundreds of people frantically waiting in line at all of the gates and at the counter in the DFW SkyClub asking when they could get to ATL and who were told Friday was the earliest possible day. What the heck?? This is a 757 on a 1.5-hour flight--it certainly wasn't a weight issue or anything. When I got to the gate, the GA was boarding us by highlighting names off of a printout. Our GA's excuse for the boarding procedure and inability to add other passengers was because she was keeping the flight as it was originally booked from SNA. That's pretty poor (and she had a pretty bad, stressed, snappy attitude, too...not a good representative for Delta). Delta should have found a way to fill those empty seats.
That said, I'm grateful for the empty middle next to me and that I didn't have to fight my way through hours of phone hold times or long rebooking lines. But it is frustrating to see things being handled so poorly.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alask...ve-thread.html
Apr 6, 2017, 12:36 am
#103
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: IHG Platinum
Posts: 629
I think my flight (DL1757) was the last one to get out of DFW. Next departure on FlightAware shows at 5:45 tomorrow morning.
We departed with 40 empty seats. This, despite hundreds of people frantically waiting in line at all of the gates and at the counter in the DFW SkyClub asking when they could get to ATL and who were told Friday was the earliest possible day. What the heck?? This is a 757 on a 1.5-hour flight--it certainly wasn't a weight issue or anything. When I got to the gate, the GA was boarding us by highlighting names off of a printout. Our GA's excuse for the boarding procedure and inability to add other passengers was because she was keeping the flight as it was originally booked from SNA. That's pretty poor (and she had a pretty bad, stressed, snappy attitude, too...not a good representative for Delta). Delta should have found a way to fill those empty seats.
That said, I'm grateful for the empty middle next to me and that I didn't have to fight my way through hours of phone hold times or long rebooking lines. But it is frustrating to see things being handled so poorly.
We departed with 40 empty seats. This, despite hundreds of people frantically waiting in line at all of the gates and at the counter in the DFW SkyClub asking when they could get to ATL and who were told Friday was the earliest possible day. What the heck?? This is a 757 on a 1.5-hour flight--it certainly wasn't a weight issue or anything. When I got to the gate, the GA was boarding us by highlighting names off of a printout. Our GA's excuse for the boarding procedure and inability to add other passengers was because she was keeping the flight as it was originally booked from SNA. That's pretty poor (and she had a pretty bad, stressed, snappy attitude, too...not a good representative for Delta). Delta should have found a way to fill those empty seats.
That said, I'm grateful for the empty middle next to me and that I didn't have to fight my way through hours of phone hold times or long rebooking lines. But it is frustrating to see things being handled so poorly.
Apr 6, 2017, 1:11 am
#104
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ATL
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt LT DM, Wyndham DM, Hertz PC, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,038
5+ Hours later Delta.com finally let me rebook SOMETHING from the canceled flight. Call back time was 5+ Hours(it claimed 3-4 when I set it up). Agent claims no seat in FC avail yet upgrade list shows 4 available. Also says I am on the list(when I am not). Segment 2 and 3 instantly went to FC.
Now he is trying to cancel off segment 2 and 3 which I don't technically need. I can make LAX work instead of SNA. I guess I'll ask if I can apply my RUC that wasn't used for my initial ATL-SNA.(I was 6 of 20+) which makes me think it wasn't applied correctly.
Now he is trying to cancel off segment 2 and 3 which I don't technically need. I can make LAX work instead of SNA. I guess I'll ask if I can apply my RUC that wasn't used for my initial ATL-SNA.(I was 6 of 20+) which makes me think it wasn't applied correctly.
Last edited by dinanm3atl; Apr 6, 2017 at 1:17 am
Apr 6, 2017, 1:16 am
#105
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ATL
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt LT DM, Wyndham DM, Hertz PC, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,038
I really wish they would have special cases for issues like this. Having a membership during major delays/cancelations would be nice to sleep in there instead of terminal. Or I ended up going home. I'd have been OK to stay in SkyClub.