Delta canceled 350 flights Saturday after severe weather caused numerous delays at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Storms that grounded planes for a few hours on Wednesday put Delta's planes and flight crews out of position.
Some passengers had been stuck at airports for several days.
"We were canceled, stand by, canceled. The next flight in the morning, the 8:30 a.m., got canceled. We were put on standby for the 12 and we were advised to avoid that," passenger David Schurer said.
Schurer arrived in Atlanta after being stuck in San Francisco for three days.
A Delta spokesman told Channel 2's Chris Jose Saturday night that most of its canceled flights around the country were in Atlanta. They said they are so behind on flights because Atlanta is Delta's hub and it has more flights coming in and out of Hartsfield-Jackson than other airlines.
Delta said the storms disrupted pilot and crew rotations and they hope to catch up by Sunday afternoon.
Channel 2's Steve Gehlbach talked to a group of students who had been stranded at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for days after a mission trip to Central America.
"People pushing each other to get in. People are yelling. People are angry. There's people sleeping right on the sides," one of the students said.
Compounding the problem now is all the spring break travelers.
Many people opted for different transportation options or booked flights on other airlines.
Delta is offering refunds to passengers whose flights are canceled, and they do not travel. Change fee waivers remain in place for those voluntarily changing their flights.
Delta released the following statement to Channel 2 Action News Saturday morning:
Delta's operation continues to recover as airline teams work around the clock to return flights to normal following the disruption from severe storms in the Southeastern U.S. and East Coast this week. Approximately 275 flights have been canceled Saturday morning, with some additional cancellations possible. In a note to customers, Delta apologized for the disruption and continued difficulty reaccommodating those whose travel had been affected by the lingering impact of this week's storms, which hampered the airline's busiest hub in Atlanta. Gil West, Delta's Chief Operating Officer, also told customers Thursday, "We are grateful for your patience and want you to know that we, as always, learn from these experiences. While we can't control the weather, we understand the resulting recovery has not been ideal and we apologize for that." Customers should check Delta.com and the Fly Delta Mobile App for updates on flight status. A travel waiver has been extended through the weekend to help customers rebook without change fees if travel plans are flexible.
Meanwhile, luggage is piling up at baggage claim after the numerous cancellations separated travelers from their bags.
Some passengers said their bags showed up a day late.
About the Author
