Delta Logs 243 Days Without Cancelling a Flight This Year

Image: Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300. (photo via Boarding1Now / iStock Editorial / Getty Images Plus)
Image: Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300. (photo via Boarding1Now / iStock Editorial / Getty Images Plus)
Alex Temblador
by Alex Temblador
Last updated: 12:35 AM ET, Sat December 22, 2018

Delta Airlines is feeling good today as they've logged 243 days without canceling a single mainline flight, beating their 2017 record of 242 days.

"Continuing to take operational reliability to new heights, together with our service-from-the-heart focus, is what makes the Delta Difference," said Gil West, Delta's Chief Operating Officer.

"Every flight matters when nearly 200 million customers count on us each year. This further reinforces our continued investment in our operation and our people as we seek out any opportunities to improve and keep climbing."

In terms of completion factor performance, or the number of flights flown versus scheduled, Delta has a 99.62 percent rate so far this year. This puts them at the top in the airline industry.

Dave Holtz, Delta's S.V.P. of Operations and Customer Center, said, "I'd like to thank all of the operating divisions and the OCC for continuing to raise the bar in canceling cancellations."

Delta may also tie last year's number of days without a cancellation due to a maintenance issue. Last year's total days were 324 and as of yesterday, the airline was at 313 days. If they stay on track, they'll tie last year's record on December 31st.

The airline's high-performance rate is attributed to how certain aircrafts are routed and scheduled for service, allowing for optimized aircraft use and reducing the impact on customers.

"With safety at the forefront of all we do, our goal is to show up for our customers with a reliable product every day," said Don Mitacek, S.V.P. of TechOps.

"Our maintenance teams are doing an incredible job getting our customers from point A to point B and beyond as efficiently and safely as possible. This level of success would not be possible without their dedication and hard work."


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