DL Cancelations and delays (Was:DL Disproportionately Affected by NYC Snowstorm?)
Feb 23, 2026 | 2:50 pm
#166
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: DL Diamond MM, UA Premier 1K
Posts: 4,222
No, I don't have any insight into why those flights were canceled (though I do know how numerators and denominators work (Delta also operated more flights than any other carrier in the world that day!)). I just see what the numbers say (that Saturday was actually a bad day for many carriers- Spirit had 7% cancellations, JetBlue had 50% delays, and United had 21% delays.) The last time you said you were certain about what was happening with Delta, though, it proved to be demonstrably untrue. (That last Monday was going to be a mess (it wasn't), and that Delta had the worst stats of every major carrier for days in a row (it didn't)). You didn't explain your factually incorrect statements last week, or even acknowledge them.
What makes you confident that the cancellations Saturday were "likely related" to anything? If you have anything other than speculation, it would be helpful to share so we can understand - or at least so we can assess the credibility of your assertions this week as compared to the (incorrect) ones you made last week.
So far, Delta has not been disproportionately impacted by the storm. I hope everyone remains safe and that the airlines continue to prioritize safety of employees and passengers over a desire to hit a lower cancellation raw number.
What makes you confident that the cancellations Saturday were "likely related" to anything? If you have anything other than speculation, it would be helpful to share so we can understand - or at least so we can assess the credibility of your assertions this week as compared to the (incorrect) ones you made last week.
So far, Delta has not been disproportionately impacted by the storm. I hope everyone remains safe and that the airlines continue to prioritize safety of employees and passengers over a desire to hit a lower cancellation raw number.
You can talk about delays all you want but cancellations are a bigger deal in my opinion. A cancellation used to be a last resort for Delta. It is extremely telling that they axed nearly 80 flights Saturday despite no major weather, disrupting thousands of customers. Yes, Spirit also canceled a lot of flights that day because they also have a staffing issue. Spirit is in bankruptcy and losing pilots to other airlines at a rapid pace. Delta is not losing pilots but has a contractual issue that prevents it from staffing flights on some weekends and holidays. I fly every Saturday and it is extremely noticeable that Delta cancels a low single digit percentage of flights across a wide variety of locations and fleet types. The only explanation for this is staffing as acknowledged by Ed Bastian himself on the last earnings call.
Last edited by DLASflyer; Feb 23, 2026 at 2:56 pm
Feb 23, 2026 | 3:36 pm
#167
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; Hilton Dia; Marriott Titanium/LT Gold
Posts: 8,485
Maybe staffing was the reason. Maybe weather was. Maybe it was a third thing. I don't know, and I'm just trying to suss out if there are any facts underlying the certainty you have.
Feb 23, 2026 | 3:52 pm
#168
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: DL Diamond MM, UA Premier 1K
Posts: 4,222
Ed Bastian said that flights were canceled Saturday because of staffing? Or you are speculating that what he said on a call in general might be the explanation for cancellations the day before a major storm? (And not addressing the false statements and predictions that didn't come to pass you made last week.)
Maybe staffing was the reason. Maybe weather was. Maybe it was a third thing. I don't know, and I'm just trying to suss out if there are any facts underlying the certainty you have.
Maybe staffing was the reason. Maybe weather was. Maybe it was a third thing. I don't know, and I'm just trying to suss out if there are any facts underlying the certainty you have.
Ed Bastian one month ago:
There’s no question that we have work to do with respect to the resiliency of our recovery from irregular operations. We’re working off of a great foundation. We just were named last week by Cirium as the most on-time airline in North America. So it’s not as if we’ve got a big hole to fill. But that said, with a lot of the change post-COVID, including some pretty significant changes in our pilot contract in terms of how we route and reroute and schedule pilots, particularly at times of change, have caused some difficulties in providing the level of reliability that we’d like in the recovery aspect. So we’re all hands on deck in that regard. We know what the factors are that’s been driving. It’s just going to take us a little bit of time to get after. But we’re working very, very closely with our flight ops team, our maintenance team, our technology team, our ops control team, as well as with the pilots’ union to ensure, because our pilots don’t like some of the recovery challenges with that either, to make certain that we return to the top, not just in on-time, but also in overall recovery.
Feb 23, 2026 | 5:19 pm
#169
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CLE
Programs: UA,WN,AA,DL, B6
Posts: 4,352
American cancelled many Sunday morning flights to both JFK and LGA when the weather was no issue those aircraft could have departed well before the snow hit. It just compounds the situation with tons of cancellations last night and today .
Feb 23, 2026 | 8:44 pm
#170
Join Date: Jan 2025
Programs: DL DM, Bonvoy LTP
Posts: 206
My direct SLC-BOS flight today was cancelled yesterday at 2:30 pm, and the first flight that was available to re-book on was SLC-ATL-JFK-BOS at 6:00 am Friday that got me into Boston just after midnight. I get it that weather happens, but this is ridiculous.
Feb 23, 2026 | 8:49 pm
#171
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: DL Diamond MM, UA Premier 1K
Posts: 4,222
Keep checking back, inventory changes rapidly during IROP events. If you really want to get to BOS tomorrow you could go to the airport and try standby.
Feb 23, 2026 | 10:56 pm
#172
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: BOS/SIN
Programs: DL PM, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,028
For Wednesday there are flights available through JFK, MSP, DTW and if you want to get out today (all hub-BOS flights seem to be full) here's a possible routing through DFW:
Feb 23, 2026 | 11:33 pm
#173
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,253
They havent really announced when BOS will be reopening, so I would expect many people have booked contingency flights and as stated above there will be all sorts of changes in inventory as it becomes clearer what will actually fly.
Feb 23, 2026 | 11:45 pm
#174
Join Date: Jan 2025
Programs: DL DM, Bonvoy LTP
Posts: 206
EF is now showing availability on all 3 SLC-BOS flights Thursday if you'd like to switch to that:
For Wednesday there are flights available through JFK, MSP, DTW and if you want to get out today (all hub-BOS flights seem to be full) here's a possible routing through DFW:
For Wednesday there are flights available through JFK, MSP, DTW and if you want to get out today (all hub-BOS flights seem to be full) here's a possible routing through DFW:
Feb 24, 2026 | 5:20 am
#175
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: TYO / WAS / NYC
Programs: American Express got a hit man lookin' for me
Posts: 5,253
Based on current FR24 data, it seems like NYC airports are closed until noonish today and then running at reduced capacity. Gonna be a mess for a while longer.
Apr 5, 2026 | 10:27 am
#176
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: DL Diamond MM, UA Premier 1K
Posts: 4,222
Happy Easter. Given the holiday, Deltas unsurprisingly melting down again. Triple digit cancellations early in the day while United stands at 11 cancels, American at 3 and Southwest at 3. Its so frustrating.
Before someone chimes in with whataboutisms regarding weather somewhere, here is the current National Weather Service watch and warning map.
Before someone chimes in with whataboutisms regarding weather somewhere, here is the current National Weather Service watch and warning map.
Apr 5, 2026 | 11:13 am
#177
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Hotlanta.
Programs: DL (duh), AA 1MM, Bonvoy Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 8,588
digits = 102, or 2% of all flights. This is hardly a meltdown.
Also, are you intentionally using a misleading map? There is a front extending from Maine, through BOS, NYC, and ATL with low ceilings.
Apr 5, 2026 | 11:51 am
#178
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: DL Diamond MM, UA Premier 1K
Posts: 4,222
No. The longest ground delays in the country right now are 50 min at LGA and BOS. 30 min at DCA and SFO. Every other airport is fine. All of Delta's competitors are fine. Delta canceled 20 more flights in the past hour. At this rate they'll be close to 250 by the end of the day. This happens every single holiday and it's infuriating.
Apr 5, 2026 | 1:15 pm
#179
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Hotlanta.
Programs: DL (duh), AA 1MM, Bonvoy Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 8,588
No. The longest ground delays in the country right now are 50 min at LGA and BOS. 30 min at DCA and SFO. Every other airport is fine. All of Delta's competitors are fine. Delta canceled 20 more flights in the past hour. At this rate they'll be close to 250 by the end of the day. This happens every single holiday and it's infuriating.
LGA is up to 90 min now DESPITE DL thinning out flights. And JFK just started a delay program due to thunderstorms.
And yes, pilot scheduling issues Im sure are a major factor.
But please stop calling 2% a meltdown. Stick to the facts.
Apr 5, 2026 | 1:23 pm
#180
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: DL Diamond MM, UA Premier 1K
Posts: 4,222
You mean there are hour long ground delays at two of DLs hubs? And ATL also has had low ceilings today? Resulting in cancelled flights?
LGA is up to 90 min now DESPITE DL thinning out flights. And JFK just started a delay program due to thunderstorms.
And yes, pilot scheduling issues Im sure are a major factor.
But please stop calling 2% a meltdown. Stick to the facts.
LGA is up to 90 min now DESPITE DL thinning out flights. And JFK just started a delay program due to thunderstorms.
And yes, pilot scheduling issues Im sure are a major factor.
But please stop calling 2% a meltdown. Stick to the facts.
ATL has had no ground delay program, diversions or ground stops today but is the most canceled airport in the world because Delta can't staff its flights properly on holidays. Delta's canceled 10 more flights in the last hour.