DL continues to weaken operationally (Summer 2022 Meltdown)
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
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DL continues to weaken operationally (Summer 2022 Meltdown)
Sitting on runway at JFK. After a 1.5 hour delay to begin with, now the plane has to return to gate for a maintenance check. I have a meeting tomorrow I need to get to. Second DL flight in a row with serious delay / cancel issues. Poor
#3
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Posts: 3,091
Sorry about your unfortunate situation. However two flights does not indicate much about the overall situation at Delta.
#5
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Location: Orlando, FL Area
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The OP's experience is not an isolated incident. One only needs to look at the news the last few months to see Delta's massive amounts of cancelations.
#6
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: DL Diamond, UA Premier Gold
Posts: 3,091
Delta canceled 26 flights today and 21 yesterday.
Last edited by DLASflyer; Jun 14, 2022 at 8:41 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,545
If you look at cancellation numbers from the past few weeks, things are slowly improving. Still frustrating when you get caught up in it but "Delta continues to weaken operationally" is not an accurate assessment of the trajectory.
Delta canceled 26 flights today and 21 yesterday.
Delta canceled 26 flights today and 21 yesterday.
Last edited by xliioper; Jun 15, 2022 at 7:21 am
#9
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,309
Much to the ire of many on the DL forum, the grass is not greener elsewhere. Every airline is struggling with these types of situations. DL's flight completion % for June is currently 2nd among WN, AA, UA and DL. For much of May DL also sat in the 2nd spot, until Memorial day weekend in which they fell to 3rd, still beating out UA for the month. If people are dissatisfied with DL, fair, but don't expect things to be much better when you try flying someone else, and it's unlikely things are going to turn around in any meaningful way in the next few months. At best they are probably 80% of the size they were prepandemic, while travel demand is almost entirely back to prepandemic levels (although with a bigger proportion of leisure travel then before), It will be years before anyone gets back to their prepandemic level of service.
#10
Join Date: Jan 2022
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Not sure how one anecdote gets translated into an overall conclusive theory.
Hard to believe things are worse than Memorial Day weekend. Also, other airlines are reporting similar challenges, including those based in other countries.
Hard to believe things are worse than Memorial Day weekend. Also, other airlines are reporting similar challenges, including those based in other countries.
#11
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I think the difference is that Delta had quite an arrogant attitude prior to 2020 and their fans pontificating that they would be prosperous forever. The mighty always fall. I would argue that WN has had the most consistent performance throughout their existence. And quite humble about it. They haven't tried to be anything other than solid transportation. Delta now resembles more of a marketing firm that happens to run an airline on the side.
#12
Join Date: Jan 2022
Programs: DL, UA, AA
Posts: 2,002
I think the difference is that Delta had quite an arrogant attitude prior to 2020 and their fans pontificating that they would be prosperous forever. The mighty always fall. I would argue that WN has had the most consistent performance throughout their existence. And quite humble about it. They haven't tried to be anything other than solid transportation. Delta now resembles more of a marketing firm that happens to run an airline on the side.
WN may have been consistent, but they've never been the best. Delta tried to be more. I'm not going to kick them for that. They've got a lot to live up to, and we can certainly criticize them, but to try and make one experience into a statement of who they are sets an impossible standard for any airline. They ALL fall short of that daily, WN included.
I would like them to get arrogant again, and show that they're trying to be the best.
#13
Join Date: May 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta DM/2MM, Flying Blue Gold, Hertz Platinum
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That said, the service I’ve experienced over the past year has been maddeningly poor. I’ve had more IROP situations in a year than I have in the past 20 combined. New staffing on the phone does pick up quickly now, but they are so poorly trained that nearly every call requires the assistance of Global Ticketing Support.
And - on a much more minor note - why don’t we have fresh milk or limes back on domestic flights?
No, I’m not leaving to go elsewhere. Yes, many of these issues are popping up at every airline. But you can’t look at this objectively and not conclude that Delta’s once vaunted service is dramatically diminished in every way. It’s been pretty sad to see.
Last edited by orlandodlplat; Jun 15, 2022 at 3:46 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2022
Programs: DL, UA, AA
Posts: 2,002
Good comment.
#15
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Southern California
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Posts: 1,181
I have long been a fan of DL. I do not believe the grass is greener elsewhere, particularly as a DM/2MM.
That said, the service I’ve experienced over the past year has been maddeningly poor. I’ve had more IROP situations in a year than I have in the past 20 combined. New staffing on the phone does pick up quickly now, but they are so poorly trained that nearly every call requires the assistance of Global Ticketing Support.
And - on a much more minor note - why don’t we have fresh milk or limes back on domestic flights?
No, I’m not leaving to go elsewhere. Yes, many of these issues are popping up at every airline. But you can’t look at this objectively and not conclude that Delta’s once vaunted service is dramatically diminished in every way. It’s been pretty sad to see.
That said, the service I’ve experienced over the past year has been maddeningly poor. I’ve had more IROP situations in a year than I have in the past 20 combined. New staffing on the phone does pick up quickly now, but they are so poorly trained that nearly every call requires the assistance of Global Ticketing Support.
And - on a much more minor note - why don’t we have fresh milk or limes back on domestic flights?
No, I’m not leaving to go elsewhere. Yes, many of these issues are popping up at every airline. But you can’t look at this objectively and not conclude that Delta’s once vaunted service is dramatically diminished in every way. It’s been pretty sad to see.