Quantcast

Delta faces scrutiny over extensive flight cancellations and customer service failures

Riyadh Air plans new jet order decision early next year
LA Considers $25 And $30 Minimum Wages For Hotel And Airport Workers
Airlines are on the hook for more than you think if something goes wrong with your trip
WA Labor & Industries plans to create new airline worker protections
Airlines must now give automatic refunds for significant delays. Here's what to know.
American Airlines Technical Operations, Fleet Service, Cargo and Central Load Planning team members ratify new agreement
Spirit Airlines Pursues Bankruptcy as a Path to Tie-Up With Frontier
American Airlines fined $50M for violating disability laws
Canada's flight attendant union applauds NDP bill to end unpaid work in the airline sector
American Airlines testing new technology that would crack down on boarding
Exciting New Airline Routes Coming to North
Another city ignores airport commission's advice, zones for housing near JWA
United shares hit pre-pandemic high after airline forecasts strong finish to 2024, plans buyback
Alaska Airlines Just Made Its Loyalty Program Even More Lucrative With New Rewards, Better Upgrades, and More
Food safety problem closes Detroit airline kitchen leaving 200 flights without meals
5 Reasons Why Kazakhstan's Air Astana Is Establishing Itself As A Key Player In Asian Aviation
JetBlue is no longer serving hot food in economy class on transatlantic flights
Video shows traveler hurl computer monitor at Frontier employees in Chicago
White House 'in touch' with airlines as hurricanes Helene, Milton spark price-gouging fears
Airline bans two items from luggage amid conflict in the Middle East
Turkish Airlines pilot dies midflight, leading to emergency landing in New York
Spirit Airlines Explores Bankruptcy Filing
Airlines turn to AI to allocate gates and cut waiting times
American Airlines Passengers Save Woman from Alleged Violent Male Companion on Flight
Garuda Indonesia and Japan Airlines (JAL) Form Joint Business Agreement — What To Know
Here's how Southwest Airlines' new seating and boarding process will work
Delta Adds New Route to Asia
Southwest Airlines will begin selling assigned seats in 2025
United Airlines Pilot Buys Passengers Pizza In Albuquerque After Flight Was Delayed 7 Hours
Czech Airlines to Cease Operations, Ending 23-Year SkyTeam Partnership
Delta faces scrutiny over extensive flight cancellations and customer service failures
Research
Webp txr36ytg6uuvd13i8xrjnuempd4m
Gary Leff Chief Financial Officer | View from the Wing

When Southwest Airlines experienced a prolonged disruption over Christmas 2022, it faced significant media criticism. In contrast, Delta Air Lines' recent operational issues have not attracted the same level of negative attention.

Southwest's problems were initially caused by insufficient staffing to handle adverse weather and IT systems that failed to reboot their operations. Delta's current challenges began with an issue involving CrowdStrike, which also affected other airlines and companies like Starbucks. However, while competitors recovered quickly, Delta has struggled to restore normal operations.

On Sunday, American Airlines canceled 2% of its flights despite bad weather in Texas, whereas Delta canceled 36%. Despite this disparity, Delta has maintained a positive narrative rather than taking responsibility for the disruptions. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg reportedly contacted Delta CEO Ed Bastian to remind him of the airline’s responsibilities to passengers.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Frequent flyer Jason Helmes expressed his frustration on social media: "For the last decade I’ve flown first class @Delta for every single flight. Never again. Y’all just lost a customer for life. Horrible customer service. Cancelled flights with no reimbursement. No answers from anyone."

Delta’s latest statement attributes the issues to "an outside vendor technology issue," referencing Friday's CrowdStrike outage that temporarily halted operations for several airlines. However, critics argue that Delta's internal crew scheduling problems and inadequate customer service are the main reasons for ongoing disruptions.

Despite claims of notifying customers about delays via the Fly Delta app, many users reported that the app crashed frequently. Comparisons have been drawn with Southwest Airlines' response during their crisis; Southwest reimbursed travel costs on other airlines to help stranded passengers, costing them up to $400 million.

Brian Brenberg also voiced his dissatisfaction: "Delta vs. United in Minneapolis. And I picked the wrong team, my friends."

Joe Brancatelli commented on Delta’s approach: "[Delta] doesn’t seem to have the corporate humility to admit that it’s fallen and can’t get up."

As of early Monday morning Eastern Time, Delta had canceled 15% of its flights compared to American Airlines’ 1% and United Airlines’ 0%. The situation suggests that travelers may want to reconsider flying with Delta until these issues are fully resolved.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

London Heathrow, recognized as Europe's busiest airport, will soon experience an increase in its flight offerings by Oman Air.

Sep 2, 2025

Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport will commence safety and airfield improvement projects on Runway 12R-30L in two distinct phases throughout 2025.

Aug 22, 2025

Delta Air Lines is adjusting its service between Atlanta and Anchorage, extending flights beyond the summer travel season to a year-round offering.

May 15, 2025

In December 2022, Southwest Airlines faced a major crisis as operational challenges led to the cancellation of 16,900 flights, affecting nearly two million passengers during a peak travel period.

Apr 19, 2025

Harrison Ford, an acclaimed actor known for roles such as Han Solo in "Star Wars" and Indiana Jones, is also a noted aviation enthusiast.

Apr 19, 2025

Iberia Airlines has confirmed a notable shift in its flight schedule connecting Madrid and Dallas/Fort Worth, introducing its first overnight service from Europe to the US.

Apr 19, 2025