Delta Pilots Write Open Letter, Share Frustration of Passengers Over Flight Disruptions

A Delta Airlines customer checks in for a flight at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, California, on May 12, 2022. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Delta Air Lines pilots have come forward to say they share the frustration of passengers over recent flight delays and disruptions, which they say are “unacceptable.”

“We are disheartened when we witness the impact of your disrupted travel plans,” the pilots wrote in an open letter, in which they reminded passengers that pilots “prioritize safety” on every flight.

“We have been working on our days off, flying a record amount of overtime to help you get to your destination. At the current rate, by this fall, our pilots will have flown more overtime in 2022 than in the entirety of 2018 and 2019 combined, our busiest years to date.

“We empathize and share in your frustration over the delays, cancellations, and disrupted travel plans you’ve experienced. We agree; it is unacceptable.”

The pilots called on the airline’s management to “ensure the integrity” of the airline’s operations before the disruptions and delays cause them to “lose confidence in the Delta brand.”

Delta cited irregular operations as a driving force behind weekend cancellations in May and announced on May 26 that it was decreasing the number of flights over the summer in a bid to reduce cancellations.

The airline updated the release on June 16 with more recent operational data, acknowledging that rebuilding its operational capacity to meet the renewed demand for travel “has been an enormous feat” that they say has not been without challenges.

“This phase of our recovery has been the most difficult. We’ve never had to bring the airline back at this speed before,” said John Laughter, EVP and chief of operations.

“Through this challenge, we continue to make decisions that allow us to run a good, safe operation while restoring our network, and to take care of our people and customers.”

The airline noted that its weekend cancellations for June weekends month-to-date are down 35 percent from May. It also said its domestic mainline on-time arrival rate remained in first place among competitors for the fifth consecutive month through June 15.

As pandemic restrictions ease around the country, and around the world, airlines and airports have cited staff shortages as being behind flight disruptions.

Some airlines and airports have reportedly struggled to attract employees after many lost their jobs during the economic shutdowns and now hold fears over job security.

But Capt. Joe DePete, the president of the international Air Line Pilots’ Association (ALPA), said in a June 7 release that it is a “fictitious claim” that there aren’t enough available pilots.

“The United States is producing a record number of pilots, yet some are still trying to claim we need to weaken aviation safety rules to fix a problem that doesn’t exist,” he said.

The ALPA said that nearly 8,000 newly certificated pilots have been produced in the last 12 months, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

“Instead of focusing on changes to fundamental issues associated with their profit-driven business models, they are suggesting that a solution would be to weaken the qualification and safety regulations that have led to the U.S. airline industry’s current exemplary safety record,” ALPA’s release said.