Delta Air Lines has canceled the most flights worldwide for two days in a row as severe weather and ground stops disrupted operations at major US hubs, including Atlanta and Boston.
The carrier hit triple-digit cancellations on both Thursday and Friday, leading all airlines globally. On Thursday, Delta had 126 cancellations, far ahead of American Airlines’ 92. On Friday, Delta recorded 137 cancellations, though American Airlines took the top spot with 431 cancellations due to a ground stop at Dallas-Fort Worth.
Delta’s issues were concentrated at its dominant hub, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), which faced a ground stop that delayed thousands of flights. Delta had 815 delays at ATL alone on Thursday — nearly half its total delay volume — along with 98 cancellations. Boston Logan International Airport also saw increased disruptions.
The Numbers
For two consecutive days, Delta was the only airline to hit triple-digit cancellations worldwide. Delays were also high, with 1,372 on Thursday affecting 37% of its total flight volume.
As of early Saturday, Delta once again had the most canceled flights, with 38 cancellations, just edging out American Airlines. The majority originated at Atlanta.
Travel Advisories
Delta issued travel advisories for 25 different US airports across the Southeast, offering passengers flexible rebooking without change fees. The affected cities included Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans, San Antonio, and numerous smaller hubs.
The airline’s Atlanta waiver was extended through June 20, with rebooking allowed through June 23. Delta CEO Ed Bastian admitted earlier this year that the airline needed to improve its performance during severe weather events, saying: “Our reliability and recovery haven’t met our high standards consistently enough.”
Despite that acknowledgment, the past three days show the goal remains a work in progress.
The Bottom Line
Delta Air Lines has canceled the most flights worldwide for two days in a row as severe weather and ground stops hit major US hubs, including Atlanta and Boston. The carrier recorded 126 cancellations on Thursday and 137 on Friday. Delta issued travel advisories for 25 US airports and offered flexible rebooking. The disruptions are expected to continue through the weekend as Atlanta faces further weather challenges.
