Delta Air Lines has canceled hundreds of flights in just 48 hours as severe thunderstorms and damaging winds slammed New York City, prompting the FAA to intervene at LaGuardia Airport.
The ground delay at LaGuardia on Sunday caused major disruptions at the Delta hub, with 119 canceled departures and 105 canceled arrivals. The airport had the most canceled flights worldwide for both departures and arrivals that day.
But the chaos did not stop there. Delta’s other major hub, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, also faced ongoing flight disruptions on Monday due to weather-related issues. By the end of the day, Delta had the most canceled flights worldwide, totaling 214.
The Numbers
The scale of the disruption is staggering. On Sunday alone:
· LaGuardia Airport had 119 canceled departures and 105 canceled arrivals
· Atlanta had 94 departure cancellations and 61 canceled arrivals
· Delta had the second-most canceled flights worldwide on Sunday (176), behind only PSA Airlines
· Delta had 1,455 delays, affecting more than a third of its total flight volume (38%)
On Monday, the carrier had by far the most canceled flights, with 214 cancellations. Endeavor Air, Delta’s regional subsidiary, had another 93 cancellations.
Passenger Frustration
Passengers have expressed frustration over the recurring weather-related disruptions at LaGuardia. One person wrote on social media: “I have come to the decision that if you are flying into LaGuardia in New York, that you need to be aware that that airport does not operate if it is raining, foggy, cloudy, Tuesday.”
Looking ahead to Tuesday, Delta once again had the most canceled flights among U.S. airlines, with 26 cancellations and an uptick expected throughout the day.
Delta’s Response
Delta has added a “New York City Weather” advisory to its travel alerts page, offering flexible rebooking for passengers. The rebooking is available for flights through LaGuardia, Newark, JFK, and White Plains. Travel must be rebooked by June 17 in the same cabin and destination.
“Due to forecasted weather, travel to, from, or through the destinations listed below may be affected,” Delta wrote. “Check flight status frequently for up-to-the-minute information about your flight plans.”
When rebooked travel occurs on or before June 17, the fare difference will be waived. Delta CEO Ed Bastian has been looking for a better response from the airline to weather-related disruptions, but the numbers show the carrier has not resolved the issues yet.
The Bottom Line
Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights in 48 hours as severe weather hit New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. The FAA intervened at LaGuardia due to thunderstorms and damaging winds. Delta had the most canceled flights worldwide on Monday with 214 cancellations, plus 93 more from its regional subsidiary Endeavor Air. The airline is offering flexible rebooking options through June 17, but passengers remain frustrated by recurring weather-related disruptions.
