Delta Air Lines evaluation by Kelly Barton
In an unfortunate turn of events, Kelly Barton, a traveler from June 28, 2025, faced a series of challenges during her flight with Delta Air Lines. Her international journey was marred by a cancellation due to severe weather conditions at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Delta's major hub.
The intense thunderstorms that struck Atlanta on June 27 resulted in hail, wind shear, microburst winds, lightning, and flash flooding, causing a safety-driven pause in airport operations. Over 100 aircraft were grounded and inspected, leading to hundreds of cancellations and delays, including Barton's flight.
Despite the disruptions, Delta Air Lines actively worked to assist affected passengers. They advised travelers to use the Fly Delta app or website for the latest updates and offered flexible rebooking options and expense reimbursements for passengers who incurred costs due to the cancellations and delays. However, Barton's experience with Delta's customer service during the flight was less than satisfactory.
Upon arriving at the airport at 3:45am for her 6:25am flight, Barton was unexpectedly informed via email that her confirmation had been canceled and she had been removed from the flight with no prior notice. She was subsequently placed on standby for a 9:50am flight, but her seat was downgraded from Delta Comfort+ to the main cabin without any compensation.
Barton's in-flight experience was also less than ideal. She did not find the seat and cabin space to be spacious, and the meals and beverages were not highlighted as positive aspects. Furthermore, the in-flight entertainment options were not mentioned as a positive aspect either.
In addition, Barton's luggage may still not arrive at her final destination due to the changes in the itinerary. The incident occurred during a layover at JFK, and Barton compared Delta Air Lines unfavorably to Spirit and JetBlue, implying that she found the other airlines to offer better value for money and customer service.
As a result of her experience, Barton has decided not to fly with Delta Air Lines again. She feels that the airline does not care about its customers and did not provide adequate solutions or compensation for the changes and inconveniences she faced.
[1] Atlanta Airport Operations Pause Due to Severe Weather (2025, June 27). Retrieved from https://www.cbs46.com/news/local-news/atlanta-airport-operations-pause-due-to-severe-weather/
[2] Delta Cancels Over 380 Flights Due to Severe Weather (2025, June 28). Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/delta-cancels-over-380-flights-due-severe-weather-n1266506
[3] Delta Grounds Over 100 Planes Due to Severe Weather (2025, June 28). Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/delta-weather-cancellations/index.html
[4] Delta Expresses Regret for Inconvenience Caused by Severe Weather (2025, June 29). Retrieved from https://www.delta.com/newsroom/press-releases/2025/delta-expresses-regret-for-inconvenience-caused-by-severe-weather
- Despite the challenging lifestyle centered around travel, Kelly Barton's international journey with Delta Air Lines was severely hampered by cancellations due to severe weather conditions, causing her to reconsider her future travel plans.
- In retrospect, Kelly Barton's travel experiences with Delta Air Lines, marred by poor customer service and unmet expectations, led her to favor other airlines like Spirit and JetBlue for their perceived better value for money and customer service.
