Delta’s struggles continue after storms hampered travel

Two Delta Airlines planes move on the runway at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. The airline has struggled to get back on track after mass cancelations earlier this week caused by powerful thunderstorms. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

April 8 (UPI) — Delta, the nation’s second-largest air carrier, continued to struggle to catch up Saturday, days after powerful thunderstorms caused mass closures at their largest hub in Atlanta.

Delta has canceled more than 3,000 flights after the Georgia storms grounded much of its fleet in one of the busiest travel weeks of the year, spring break.

“We are grateful for your patience and want you to know that we, as always, learn from these experiences. While we can’t control the weather, we understand the resulting recovery has not been ideal and we apologize for that,” Delta Chief Operating Officer Gil West said Thursday.

The airline has struggled to get back on its feet after thousands of travelers were stranded when thunderstorms hit the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. About 60 percent of Delta’s 1,250 planes travel through Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport every day.

Further complicating matters are the strict Federal Aviation Administration rules on the amount of time flight crews must have off. In some instances, planes are ready, but have no flight crews to operate them.

Delta customers took to social media to vent their frustrations, as they wait in long lines or sit on hold for hours, trying to rebook flights. The airline said it is rebooking any passenger if their connecting flight can’t be made and encouraged travelers to check the company’s website before leaving for the airport.

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