Flight Cancellations Skillfully Managed By Delta & American Airlines In Sao Paulo.

On May 30, 2024, flight LA6349 operated by Delta Airlines for Latam Airlines, was scheduled to depart Guarulhos International AirPort in São Paulo for JFK International Airport in New York at 8.45pm with about 9h.55m; a direct flight, to arrive at 5.40 am, and immediately at around 5pm, the airline staff at the check in counter, got an emergency email message indicating a mechanical or maintenance issue problem thus demanding a cancellation of the said flight.

The notice was too late and demands a quick solution with of course, expectations of complaints, disappointments, dissatisfaction and whatever you might think of. And that was what happened. The line was too long with passengers dragging their luggages slowly along the created queues for onward confrontations with individual ticketing officer. Their supervisors were seen running here and there to make sure everything and everyone is resolved and satisfied respectively. They were able to get all passengers connected and rescheduled flights with food voucher of about BRL 77.55 Reais ( about $16) for each passenger.

Some passengers were assigned and redirected to some other airlines like American Airlines. Unfortunately, not everyone could embark for direct flights to New York on that day even through other airlines and some had to accept connecting flights to get to their destinations. American Airlines scheduled some passengers for 9.30pm on flight AA 930 to leave São Paulo on May 30, for Miami and from there, get connecting flights to their individual destinations. Things didn’t work out as planned. The plane delayed, passengers moved from one gate to another and the last trial of embarking at 11.30pm from gate 321-322 was finally cancelled as Pilots and flight attendants decided not to continue (I learned later on, they have to) due to arrival lateness of the plane and the tiredness it will cost them to operate the flight. They were waiting for the plane’s arrival for almost 2 hours and about 8 hours to spend on the trip.

Passengers walking back to baggage claims area

Passengers getting back their luggages after American Airlines flight cancellation

Intelligently, every affected passenger were asked by American Airlines staff, to get back and pick up their luggages and taken to different hotels nearby like Panamby Hotel and redirected to embark the next day (31) for Miami flight at 12pm. They were all given hotels, food; dinner and breakfast and transportation -to and fro-vouchers for that night (30) and all accepted with smiles on their faces forgetting about all the disappointments, dissatisfaction and hatred they had had earlier on. It was also an opportunity for some to get to know each other.

Passengers waiting to get vouchers.

Hotel & Food vouchers

Taxi Voucher

Panamby Hotel in Guarulhos-SP

One type of breakfast at Panamby Hotel

Lest I forget, some passengers who got their flights canceled a day before, were able to travel on Friday (31) by same Delta Airlines on direct flight DL9926, from Guarulhos Airport, São Paulo to JFK, New York through gate 321 at 2pm to arrive in New York at around 10.31pm local time. The ticketing officers were patient, calmer and much more better in control this time around solving and rescheduling new flights to passengers.

However, the airplane wasn’t full but the attendance was extraordinary and first class kind of. The flight attendants were patient, waiting tirelessly on passengers, giving them what they need and also want. The food, drinks and snacks were great and delicious, oh my gosh; satisfying. The communication and interaction between flight attendants and passengers were one of a kind. At least, these flight attendants’ services were enough to cover up for any inconvenience passengers might have encountered during the cancellations even though they weren’t told exactly why the cancellations originally took place.