Delta cuts 6,000 flights from summer schedules

Michigan routes are most affected

A Delta Airlines Airbus A330 departs from Amsterdam Airport (Getty Images)

Delta has cut more than 6,000 flights from its summer schedule, including some that are yet to be launched, according to new analysis.

Cirium data reveals Delta is cutting four routes in June, including two from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to Iron Mountain, Michigan, and Alpena respectively, plus services between New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Dallas Love Field, and Minneapolis and Escanaba, Michigan.

According to Simple Flying, the Atlanta-based carrier has also reduced its June schedule by 1,952 flights, equating to a reduction of 259,836 seats.

Despite this, the legacy carrier still has almost 7,000 more flights in its June schedule than in the same month in 2022.

Conversely, Delta is adding more services to Dallas from Los Angeles International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

In total, the carrier has 144,305 flights scheduled in June.

In July, no other routes will be cut, but Delta has reduced its schedule by 1,858 flights.

Three new routes will be added in Michigan, Minnesota, and Florida, however.

These include Escanaba to Iron Mountain, Detroit to Destin-Fort Walton Beach, and Hibbing/Chisholm (Minnesota) to International Falls (Minnesota).

While flights have also been cut in August and September – 1,728 and 816 respectively – each month’s schedule has an increase of over two million seats year-on-year.

A spokesperson for Delta told The Independent: “This is a routine adjustment to regional flying and represents a very small reduction over a period of four months, equating to a 1.5 per cent reduction in flights week over week.

“Delta on average, is still operating approximately 4,500 flights a day to 275 destinations around the globe. We’ll continue to take a strategic and measured approach to rebuilding our network, matching our offerings with demand.”

The news comes days after Delta, along with KLM, easyJet, Tui and Corenden, began legal action to sue the Dutch government over plans to cut the number of flights operating from Europe’s third-busiest airport.

The government cited community concerns from locals living near Amsterdam Schiphol about the impact of aviation on noise pollution and the climate in its decision.

However, the five carriers claim the plans are in breach of EU and international law.

Under the new plan, a cap would reduce the annual number of flights from 500,000 to 440,000.

The International Air Transport Association is supporting the legal action with a separate challenge, claiming “no meaningful consultation” with the industry has been undertaken.

But the Dutch government says it wants to strike a balance between the economic benefits of a large airport and a healthy living environment, prioritising tackling noise pollution.