Delta schedule reductions - starts Memorial Day weekend

[FlyerTalker]

In the wake of an over 10% cancellation rate this past Monday (and operational issues over the weekend), Delta has announced that they are paring back schedules for the next few months.  The schedule is to be "thinned", with reductions starting this weekend and projected to continue through August at this time.

 

There are no city-pairs that are being eliminated, but there will be reductions in frequency over some (as yet unannounced) routes.  In addition, DL is planning to de-peak their ATL flights, so be aware of flight time changes for any connections through ATL.

 

Other items include earlier boarding times and some behind the scenes crew issues.

 

Although it is always wise to keep on top of your flight details for ANY airline, if flying DL in the next three months, you should especially check to see if your flights are impacted by these reductions.

[Zach1213]

2 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

In the wake of an over 10% cancellation rate this past Monday (and operational issues over the weekend), Delta has announced that they are paring back schedules for the next few months.  The schedule is to be "thinned", with reductions starting this weekend and projected to continue through August at this time.

 

There are no city-pairs that are being eliminated, but there will be reductions in frequency over some (as yet unannounced) routes.  In addition, DL is planning to de-peak their ATL flights, so be aware of flight time changes for any connections through ATL.

 

Other items include earlier boarding times and some behind the scenes crew issues.

 

Although it is always wise to keep on top of your flight details for ANY airline, if flying DL in the next three months, you should especially check to see if your flights are impacted by these reductions.

 

Have any other airlines announced similar things? I wonder if UA, AA and WN will follow now that DL has broken the seal. 

[FlyerTalker]

28 minutes ago, Zach1213 said:

Have any other airlines announced similar things? I wonder if UA, AA and WN will follow now that DL has broken the seal. 

 

Not that I have heard.  If so, I will definitely post.

 

The good news in this is that they are trying to reduce "day of flight" cancellations or major delays.

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, Zach1213 said:

 

Have any other airlines announced similar things? I wonder if UA, AA and WN will follow now that DL has broken the seal. 

Isn't this DL's second reduction announcement? Didn't they drop 10% in the Spring?

 

UA is getting 10% of their capacity back over the summer, as their 777s with Pratt and Whitney engine issues come back into service, which may allow them to resume some longhaul routes that were not resumed for summer season due to the limited capacity issues. I don't know that UA has enough staff to fully staff those planes as they come back, but they got approval to start using them again last week, and already have 3 in the air. There was a total of 32 planes out of service. 

 

Of course, limiting supply with the increasing demand only means one thing...higher prices, and they are already crazy high.

[Twickenham]

Good for Delta. BA is getting absolutely walloped over at FT for all of their delays and cancellations, with many flyers saying that they're schedule is too ambitious, considering the staffing and other issues they've been having. At least Delta is being pro-active in trying not to leave passengers in the lurch.

[Globaliser]

9 hours ago, Twickenham said:

Good for Delta. BA is getting absolutely walloped over at FT for all of their delays and cancellations, with many flyers saying that they're schedule is too ambitious, considering the staffing and other issues they've been having. At least Delta is being pro-active in trying not to leave passengers in the lurch.

 

I think that the current problems at BA are largely a consequence of BA doing exactly the same thing to rein in an over-ambitious schedule.

[CruiserBruce]

14 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Isn't this DL's second reduction announcement? Didn't they drop 10% in the Spring?

Thinking back, I believe it was Southwest that did a 10% cut in the Spring.

[purduemom1]

Flying Delta in August. Got a “heads up” this morning that our outbound flight will be eliminated. Not wanting to wait to be arbitrarily reassigned and because only one of the remaining flights works for us, I bit the bullet and called. Took some time but reached an agent who was able to change our flights even though our original flight has not actually dropped off the schedule yet, just shows sold out no matter the date. Our new flight and seats already showing up in ap. I know that these agents are super busy with this week end’s cancellations and I could have been told to wait until I was notified of the schedule change but instead, she took care of everything making sure this was due to flight elimination and was very pleasant. 
 

FlyrtTalker is right, keep an eye on your flights, No matter the airline, more eliminations are most likely on the way.

[teacherman]

We have been canceled on 2 Delta flights during the last 6 weeks.  Both times we ended up getting a car and driving home, once from Orlando and once from Washington DC.  Neither time were we offered a new flight within the next 48 hours.  We now are scheduled to fly from DTW to FLL on Friday, July 15, for a Celebrity cruise on July 16.  We always take the 10:00 am flight out of DTW.  That flight has now been cancelled and we are moved to the 12:30 flight.  At least we have a 6 week notice that we are on a flight that "might" actually happen.  

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, teacherman said:

Neither time were we offered a new flight within the next 48 hours.

 

Could be that there are no available seats.

[teacherman]

I realize that because I checked for possible flights.  All flights for the next 2 days were sold out.  Thus, the decision to rent a car and drive home.  One thing I find comical is that I get a text from Delta telling me the flight is cancelled and I should "go on the app and reschedule my flight".  When I try to do that, it immediately tells me that I cannot reschedule and I have to call them.  Then when I call it tells me that my wait time is approximately "4 hours and 55 minutes".  It appears Delta is scheduling so many flights that if anything goes wrong anywhere along the way (weather, crew shortage, etc), then the "dominoes" begin to fall.  I have always thought Delta was the "best" airline, but after these last few months, I don't know.  We will see how the summer goes.

[rkacruiser]

3 hours ago, teacherman said:

We now are scheduled to fly from DTW to FLL

 

Since you are flying from DTW, why don't you just drive?  Get on I-75 with a choice of routes further South to get to FLL.  You would want an overnight, at least one, en route.  When I drive from Dayton, I make two overnights en route:  first at Chatanooga and then at Orange Park, a suburb of Jacksonville.  

[teacherman]

I don't like to drive long distances.  I had to drive home from Orlando when our flight was canceled.  That is the longest distance I have driven in 30 years.  Some people don't mind driving.  I do.  

[vjmatty]

18 hours ago, teacherman said:

I don't like to drive long distances.  I had to drive home from Orlando when our flight was canceled.  That is the longest distance I have driven in 30 years.  Some people don't mind driving.  I do.  

 

Have you considered Amtrak? Takes a little less time than driving but without having to stop for sleeping, bathroom, meals etc.

[teacherman]

Any idea how I take AMTRAK to Fort Lauderdale from Detroit?  It is a 7 NIGHT CRUISE.  Adding one more night in a hotel after hopefully flying in a day early is enough.  I don't need to ride trains for hours or take 4 extra nights total in driving down and driving back.  This is a discussion of airlines, specifically DELTA, not being as reliable as in past years, due to several different things.  DELTA has now tried to address the problem by cutting back on their schedule.  Let us hope it works out and people don't miss their long planned trips when their flight is cancelled.

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, teacherman said:

Any idea how I take AMTRAK to Fort Lauderdale from Detroit?  It is a 7 NIGHT CRUISE.  Adding one more night in a hotel after hopefully flying in a day early is enough.  I don't need to ride trains for hours or take 4 extra nights total in driving down and driving back.  This is a discussion of airlines, specifically DELTA, not being as reliable as in past years, due to several different things.  DELTA has now tried to address the problem by cutting back on their schedule.  Let us hope it works out and people don't miss their long planned trips when their flight is cancelled.

 

The suggestion for using Amtrak would be a worthy one to consider if its service for those of us in Michigan and Ohio were better.  Depending on where in Michigan you live, you might get a train to Chicago, then one to New York or Washington, then one to Fort Lauderdale.  There would be a 2 night train ride to do that.  Booking a sleeper, it would become expensive.  Sleeper prices are currently quite high for some routes.  

 

Delta is my preferred airline and the news of their current problems certainly are disappointing.  That's not the Delta that I have experienced!

 

22 hours ago, teacherman said:

I don't like to drive long distances.  I had to drive home from Orlando when our flight was canceled.  That is the longest distance I have driven in 30 years.  Some people don't mind driving.  I do.  

 

I understand.  With the exception of driving through/around Atlanta, I enjoy driving.  (But, I will never, ever drive on I-95 in Miami again!)  

[DogLover]

7 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

I understand.  With the exception of driving through/around Atlanta, I enjoy driving.  (But, I will never, ever drive on I-95 in Miami again!)  

Oh, heck yes ... totally agree with your sentiment. Our son and DIL live in South FL and we absolutely despise driving there. Thankful they moved a bit north to West Palm, but is still a dustercluck as far as driving is concerned.

[rkacruiser]

16 hours ago, DogLover said:

Thankful they moved a bit north to West Palm, but is still a dustercluck as far as driving is concerned.

 

West Palm's I-95 can be an interesting experience, but, did you drive on that road when all of the construction was taking place a few years ago?  👎  At least, in West Palm, I have not seen the absolutely insane, unsafe driving that I experienced in Miami.

 

I have a warm spot in my heart for West Palm.  My Buick had a mechanical issue on I-95 in the middle of the afternoon of the Friday before Christmas week-end.  Reaching the closest GM dealer, a Cadillac dealer, as busy as they were, they were able to get me back on the road to Fort Lauderdale.  So grateful!  I had visions of spending Christmas in West Palm Beach and not on my ship.  

[vjmatty]

On 5/31/2022 at 3:02 PM, teacherman said:

Any idea how I take AMTRAK to Fort Lauderdale from Detroit?  It is a 7 NIGHT CRUISE.  Adding one more night in a hotel after hopefully flying in a day early is enough.  I don't need to ride trains for hours or take 4 extra nights total in driving down and driving back.  This is a discussion of airlines, specifically DELTA, not being as reliable as in past years, due to several different things.  DELTA has now tried to address the problem by cutting back on their schedule.  Let us hope it works out and people don't miss their long planned trips when their flight is cancelled.

 

Sorry, somehow I missed you were coming from Detroit. I believe that requires the Lake Shore Limited which is overnight, and then in NY you'd have to take Silver Star or Silver Meteor which is another overnight.  Lots of traveling for a 7 night cruise.