Delta Air Lines has fully resumed operations. After a five-day delay that saw more than 5,000 flights canceled between Friday and Tuesday, the airline announced Wednesday that it was “fully staffed” and ready to fly its full schedule.
The Atlanta-based carrier returned to its normal reliability on Thursday, with just four cancellations across its entire network (and none so far Friday), per FlightAware.
Compare the cancellation rate — practically 0% — with the 30% or more seen just a few days ago, as airline operations failed to bounce back quickly following a worldwide IT outage. His issues prompted a US Department of Transportation investigation.
DOT estimates thousands of customers were affected by the meltdown. And many of those customers may still be seeking compensation due to operational snafu.
Here’s what to know, whether you’re looking for a refund or reimbursement or planning to fly Delta in the coming days.
Is Delta back on track?
Yes. After at least 1,100 daily cancellations between Friday and Tuesday, Delta’s performance improved significantly on Wednesday; The carrier is back at it A common perch in the country’s most reliable (in terms of cancellation rate) ever since.
Read more: Flight delayed or cancelled? Here’s what to do
Getting a refund from Delta
How to get a refund for a flight
If your trip was affected by Delta’s meltdown, you can file a refund request at Delta’s refund page.
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What if you don’t want to fly Delta in the coming days?
Delta has extended its travel advisory that began due to erratic operations. It runs through Sunday, July 28.
The airline is offering extra flexibility to customers who don’t want to fly between now and Sunday; These travelers have the option to cancel in advance and claim a refund.
This is not As is generally required under DOT policy, Delta is going a step further in this case.
Note, however, that carrier operations are largely back to normal.
Getting compensation if you are stranded
If you suffered significant delays or cancellations during Delta’s meltdown, you may be entitled to compensation for certain expenses incurred.
As shown on DOT’s Airline Customer Service DashboardDelta — along with other airlines — has made various commitments to customers when a cancellation or major delay occurs that is “controllable,” or the airline’s responsibility.
The disruption, the DOT said, falls into that category, distinguishing it from snow storms or air traffic control problems.
You can file for compensation at Delta’s return page.
What is not covered?
Delta notes that it does not cover prepaid expenses at your destination, such as vacation activities, concert tickets, sporting events, and the like.
In some cases, you may be able to cover those costs with the travel insurance you have through a travel insurance policy or credit card. However, coverage will depend entirely on your specific policy, assuming the policy was active prior to the meltdown.
What if you booked a flight on another airline?
On Wednesday, Delta accepted a large number of travelers who, during the recession, had made other arrangements for travel — whether by flying on other airlines, renting a car or booking a train.
The airline has relaxed its reimbursement policy for the travel waiver period (July 19 to 28) and allowed customers to submit for reimbursement of those expenses. This includes, in some cases, flights booked on other carriers.
Here are the criteria:
- Travel between 19th to 28th July.
- Travelers who experience cancellations or delays of at least three hours are eligible.
- You may submit the fare paid to purchase another airline ticket in the same class of service, minus the cost of the unused portion of your Delta ticket.
- You can also submit optional transportation costs like rental cars, rideshares, trains or buses used to get to your destination — minus the cost of the unused portion of your ticket.
Again, you can file for compensation at Delta’s return page.
In the event of a dispute
DOT generally advises consumers to begin by trying to settle these costs and refunds with the airline itself.
If you do not receive a timely response from the airline or feel that the request was improperly denied, you can read more here About filing a complaint with the agency.
It is also necessary to know
Delta noted this week that it’s offering SkyMiles and travel vouchers to customers as a gesture, though the actual mileage data we’ve heard from TPG readers varies — significantly, in some cases.
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