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American cancels more than 1,000 flights
Delta also grounds jets while reinspecting MD-88s
STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES
Published on: 04/09/08
American Airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights Wednesday, over one-third of its schedule, as it spent a second straight day inspecting the wiring on some of its jets -- the same issue that caused it to scrub hundreds of flights two weeks ago.
Thursday, 14 of 33 outgoing flights out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport have been cancelled, according to the airport's Web site. That includes eight of the 11 flights to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, three of four to LaGuardia Airport in New York and three of six to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.
LM Otero/AP | ||
| A worker looks at the tail section of an American Airlines MD-80 aircraft at Dallas Fort Worth international airport in Grapevine, Texas in March. | ||
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Delta Air Lines said it also canceled dozens of flights Wednesday while redoing inspections and modifications performed last week on its similar McDonnell-Douglas MD-88 jets. Delta spokeswoman Chris Kelly said the company decided to re-examine the 117 jets in its fleet after being alerted to the issue involving American's jets.
She said Delta discovered that it needed to make modifications on about 20 percent of the jets and expected to complete the work overnight Wednesday.
"We're seeing virtually no customer impact," she said.
The American cancellations included more than a dozen departures from Atlanta, where the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier is a relatively minor player, and disruptions could continue Thursday. Those cancellations were not causing any major problems or delays at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, said spokesman Herschel Grangent.
American, the nation's biggest airline, had already canceled 460 flights on Tuesday, stranding thousands of travelers. Federal inspectors found problems with wiring work done two weeks ago, although the airline says passenger safety was never jeopardized.
The inspections involve American's fleet of 300 MD-80 jets and arose out of concern that Federal Aviation Administration officials had been too lax in overseeing another Texas-based carrier, Southwest Airlines.
American uses the MD-80s mostly on midrange flights, particularly from hub airports in Dallas and Chicago. Spokesman Tim Wagner said 208 of Wednesday's cancellations would occur at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and 138 at Chicago O'Hare.
Bishop Bernard Jordan, a Harlem minister, was in a first-class line trying to catch a flight to Atlanta, where he was scheduled to preach Wednesday night.
"It would have been good to know in advance," said Jordan, who said he has 4 million frequent-flier miles with American and flies to Atlanta every other week. "I would have booked with another airline."
-- Information from The Associated Press and staff writers Russell Grantham and Jim Tharpe was used in this article.
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Comments
By bob
Apr 10, 2008 8:21 PM | Link to this
I wonder if that preacher is using church funds to fly first class.
By lfc
Apr 10, 2008 3:11 PM | Link to this
My husband's Delta flight to Philadelphia on Wednesday evening was cancelled with the passengers already on the plane and ready to go. The Delta spokesperson's comment about "seeing virtually no customer impact" is untrue. They are trying to keep it on the down low for some reason.
By justjoeindenver
Apr 10, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this
Ok, I'm not really a big conspiracy guy, but something about this stinks. Very suspicious the way this is being handled, and the massive cancellations it results in. Sure seems like someone is working very hard to keep us from traveling around much these days. I wonder if we'll ever know the truth behind all of these groundings?
By Concerned Citizen
Apr 10, 2008 8:58 AM | Link to this
Must be nice to be a preacher from Harlem who can rack up 4 million miles in first class. Jesus needs to come back and drive out the money lenders again.
By robert
Apr 10, 2008 8:53 AM | Link to this
One thing I can say about Delta is when they have a problem they do apoligize, not once has any offical from American on T.V apoligized for anything
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