Government report says Delta Air Lines is the undisputed tarmac delay champion

by Christopher Elliott on May 12, 2009

There’s an old joke in the airline industry that Delta stands for Doesn’t Even Leave The Airport. According to the latest Transportation Department report, it’s not really a joke.

Here are the top five flights with the longest tarmac delays:

1. Delta Air Lines flight 132 from Atlanta to New York JFK, 3/1/09 – delayed on tarmac 348 minutes

2. Delta Air Lines flight 9 from Atlanta to Jacksonville, FL, 3/1/09 – delayed on tarmac 329 minutes

3. Delta Air Lines flight 1028 from Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale, FL, 3/1/09 – delayed on tarmac 327 minutes

4. Delta Air Lines flight 1026 from Atlanta to Newark, NJ, 3/1/09 – delayed on tarmac 324 minutes

5. Delta Air Lines flight 1069 from Atlanta to San Francisco, 3/1/09 – delayed on tarmac 316 minutes

In Delta’s defense, these flights were all delayed on the same day for what I’m sure the airline believes was a very good reason. Like a massive snowstorm.

Still, does anyone else think that being stuck on a plane for almost six hours is a little much?

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Tagged as: Delay, Delta Air Lines, DOT, Tarmac

  • Logan

    For a long time, I have referred to Delta as “Delay-ta” (along with calling US Airways “US Scareways”, which is rather accurate based on the age of its fleet). These numbers are kind of sad, but also gives credence to my friend’s story of being delayed two hours on her flight from ATL to PVD a few months ago.

  • SirWired

    If they want to delay instead of cancel a flight into a storm for five hours, fine. But delaying it on the tarmac that long is the height of stupidity. Clearly, the “self-regulation” of tarmac delays is just a bunch of hot air. Obviously the “model plans” have amounted to nothing.

    When 5+ hour delays take the place of common sense, it most certainly is time for the government to imperfectly regulate this stuff.

    I would have been fine with the industry regulating itself for this, but clearly they are not up to the task.

    SirWired

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  • Frank

    Logan said” (along with calling US Airways “US Scareways”, which is rather accurate based on the age of its fleet).
    ====================================================

    The majority of it’s fleet, if you do your homework is AIRBUS. They started receiving them in the early to mid 90′s. (East) That’s NOT old.

  • Frank

    Here are the top five flights with the longest tarmac delays:

    1. Delta Air Lines flight 132 from Atlanta to New York JFK, 3/1/09 – delayed on tarmac 348 minutes
    =========================================================

    Question? Does the 348 minutes. 5.8 hours include PUSH BACK, RAMP TIME and ARRIVAL INTO THE DESTINATION? OR PUSH BACK AND WHEELS UP?

  • Frank

    In Delta’s defense, these flights were all delayed on the same day for what I’m sure the airline believes was a very good reason. Like a massive snowstorm.
    =========================================================

    Actually, that day in ATL it was: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thundersnow

  • SirWired

    Logan, the age of the aircraft has virtually nothing to do with its safety. With regular maintenance, the life of a plane is more or less indefinite, until cracks in the airframe indicate unacceptable fatigue. I’d trust a properly maintained 30+ year DC-9 (ala NW), over a poorly maintained plane fresh out of the Boing or Airbus factory.

    You, as a flyer, have little to no way to tell which is which.

    SirWired

  • Frank

    SirWired said ;
    I’d trust a properly maintained 30+ year DC-9 (ala NW), over a poorly maintained plane fresh out of the Boing or Airbus factory.

    =========================================================

    ;;;;SMILE;;;;…………….DC-9, that baby is a WORK HORSE.

    Well said, SirWired.

  • Tara

    Delta also stands for “Don’t Expect Luggage to Arrive”

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