This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Another day, another monumental postponement blamed on the US government shutdown. Shortly after Alaska decided to push the launch of its flights from Paine Field – Snohomish County Airport (PAE) in Everett, Washington, from Feb. 11, 2019, to (at least) March 4, 2019, Delta has confirmed to TPG that it too will suffer a major delay.
The airline had previously scheduled for Jan. 31, 2019, to be the inauguration day for its long-awaited Airbus A220 — an aircraft that offers many widebody amenities on a narrowbody aircraft designed to supplant CRJ700 and CRJ900 regional jets on medium-haul routes. Now, that’s being pushed for several weeks at least.
Here’s the official word from Delta Air Lines.
“Delta has made the decision to postpone the service debut of the Airbus A220 due to delays in certification processes that are required by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
No customer impact is expected as a result of this equipment change and no flights will be canceled because of A220 certification. The flights will be operated by other aircraft and changes are expected to be fully visible in schedules on Sunday.”
I currently have two flights confirmed for Jan. 31, 2019, which were previously scheduled to operate on the A220. As of now, both flights still show “Aircraft: Airbus A220-100” in my Delta account, but Delta has informed me that I’ll learn what my new aircraft type will be this weekend.
I have inquired with Delta as to its cancellation policy with regard to the impending changes and received the following: “We’ll work with customers on a case by case basis as we would with any schedule change.”
Typically, an aircraft swap of any magnitude grants a passenger latitude in changing or cancelling their flights without penalty, but the airline has yet to publicly share what its plans are on this front.
Also, unlike Alaska, Delta isn’t going so far as to share an official “new” inaugural day, instead playing it safe and waiting for the shutdown to end before etching anything else in stone. Delta has informed me that A220 schedule changes will begin to appear in passenger accounts either tomorrow or Sunday and will show flights as operated by the A220 from Feb. 7, 2019 and beyond, assuming all governmental approvals are met by that point.
For more on Delta’s Airbus A220, check out our coverage below.
- I Toured Delta’s Brand New Airbus A220 — Here’s What to Expect
- Here’s What We Learned From Delta’s Product Developer for the A220
- Delta Confirms Its First A220 Destinations: Widebody Amenities on Narrowbody Routes
Do you have a flight booked on Delta’s A220 between Jan. 31, 2019 and Feb. 7, 2019? Let us know if you plan to shift your schedule or accept the aircraft swap in comments below.
For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter here!
Know before you go.
News and deals straight to your inbox every day.
NEW INCREASED OFFER: 60,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION: $1,200
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Chase Sapphire Preferred named "Best Credit Card for Flexible Travel Redemption" - Kiplinger's Personal Finance, June 2018
- 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel
- No blackout dates or travel restrictions - as long as there's a seat on the flight, you can book it through Chase Ultimate Rewards
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
