Delta Precancels Flights

[skyflyr69]

i was on DL 489 last saturday . i checked the flight at midnight the day prior and early in the morning. wide open about 180 seats still to sell. a few hours later it was cancelled.
i had to have that flight to make a connection. thank goodness Airtran was available out of LGA.

Got on Airtran and it was by far one of the best flights i have ever taken. FREE cocktails, FRIENDLY attendants and the captain even did his pa in the aisle.

Shame on Deltoid for cancelling a flight due to lousy load but go figure......


FLY AIRTRAN

 

[robbedagain]

that is the first time I have heard of an airline cancelling a flight due to light loads. US Airways has always been an expert at flying with more than half empty planes. I only know that because I used to fly on them
a lot and it was empty. of course Delta could also be up to some new tricks who knows though

 

[BoeingBoy]

skyflyr,

Doing it at the last moment, so to speak, might mean a broke plane. Generally, when something has to be cancelled due to a mechanical, they try to cancel flights that'll inconvenience the least amount of people. Little consolation if you're depending on that flight to get somewhere at a certain time, but understandable in the overall scheme of things.

I guess there is a possibility that it was part of a fuel saving program - AMR has done that for this month (starting on the 9th, I think). I think I saw that NWA is also, and CAL was studying doing it as of a day or two ago. But the timing of the cancellation leads me to doubt that fuel savings was the cause in your case.

Jim

 

[Dizel8]

IIRC, airlines cannot cancel a particular flight due to loads, the Feds gets upset, so it must have been for other causes!

IOW, certainly an airline can adjust their schedule, however, I do not believe, that they are allowed to cancel an otherwise scheduled flight due to loads. Ie, you cannot cancel this mondays flight because of too few people, yet run the same flight next monday!

 

[coolflyingfool]

I was on a SWA flight from PHX to LAS and it had 11 people on board. 126 empty seats ans I slept it away. I did an AWA flight from PHX to DEN with 40, on a 757. Also saw a SWA plane from LAS to BUR with 1, yes 1. I was on a SWA flight with 99 going to MDW, it got cancelled. I don't think airlines cancel just for light loads. Just my thoughts............

 

[DalMD88]

I would agree it has to do with aircraft availablity. If you start to run short of aircraft due to mechanicals which would you cancel? A full one or a nearly empty one? It sucks that anything has to be cancelled, but sometimes there isn't another option.

 

[TheDog2004]

Probably load balancing due to another mechanical. You cancel the flight with the least impact and try to reacommodate the hosed as best as possible.

 

[flyhigh]

...where were you flying? If it was ATL I have to question how the flight and hour earlier or an hour later was not made an option to you. AirTran has 9 LGA-ATL flights, Delta has more than 15 last time I checked. Your story sounds a little fishy...

 

[LD3]

that is the first time I have heard of an airline cancelling a flight due to light loads. US Airways has always been an expert at flying with more than half empty planes. I only know that because I used to fly on them
a lot and it was empty. of course Delta could also be up to some new tricks who knows though

[post="307671"][/post]​

Did you get where you were going w/ US??? Probably so, so quit dogging them..

 

[Albatroz]

Is it possible to check the load? I was not aware airlines allowed that.

 

[robbedagain]

Did you get where you were going w/ US??? Probably so, so quit dogging them..

[post="308304"][/post]​

no I flew United and Continental. I worked for US and got screwed a few times so I quit flying them. and you wont tell me to quit dogging them. you are not my boss or anything like that

 

[B.O.B.]

Maybe the cxld flights are due to maintenance? Outsourcing will get you cxld flights! Use mechanics who are certified with the FAA. Use mechanics who are members of a union!

 

[SVQLBA]

Maybe the cxld flights are due to maintenance? Outsourcing will get you cxld flights! Use mechanics who are certified with the FAA. Use mechanics who are members of a union!

[post="308794"][/post]​

Nope -- DL are cancelling due to loads. Several press reports today on the topic.

DL's approach seems to be dumb, cancelling just a few days in advance. Those folks on the early morning and late flights with light loads are often the high yield business travellers shlepping across the country trying to get a day of work in and get home to family. They'll be mighty pissed once they get one late cancellation and end up having to rebook on an other AL to keep their schedule in tact.

Seems to me that AA's approach (actually decide which flights to cut well in advance and stick to it) is a far more sensible approach.

 

[LD3]

no I flew United and Continental. I worked for US and got screwed a few times so I quit flying them. and you wont tell me to quit dogging them. you are not my boss or anything like that

[post="308602"][/post]​

Hard to imagine you could not get where you were going on half m/t a/c's....

 

[coolflyingfool]

Well, I stand corrected. Delta is cancelling flights due to poor loads. WOW!! I won't book Delta anytime soon, if I get a low fare. If I get a low fareI can assume it is an empty flight which will be subject to cancellation. I guess Delta is stepping over the dollar to save a quarter. Just my thoughts...........