The Christmas travel period was a general nightmare for many U.S. airlines (especially Southwest) due to a savage winter storm that caused many aircraft crews and aircraft to be out of place along with thousands of flight cancellations and displaced passengers.

Delta Air lines issued this updated report late on Christmas day:

A major winter storm that swept across the nation this week is finally pushing through, leaving behind frigid temperatures in many areas, and a deep blanket of snow in some places.

Light snow and the deicing of aircraft continues at Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport and Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

The bulk of the snow has passed most areas, however some airports are experiencing broken water lines due to the freezing temperatures.

Delta’s meteorologists are forecasting continued improved conditions through Monday as the operation recovers from the winter weather.

The decision to cancel flights is never one Delta takes lightly, especially during the holiday travel season. But the safety of our customers and our people is paramount. We strive to cancel flights well in advance of scheduled departure to allow our customers to adjust their plans before going to the airport.

Delta people are ready to assist customers in getting to their destinations as quickly as possible despite the challenges presented by weather.

Delta has issued weather advisories due to the forecasted path of winter weather. Those advisories enable customers to rebook their travel for a later date. Current advisories and up-to-date information can be found on Delta.com.

• Pacific Northwest Winter Weather
• Northwest Mountain Region Winter Weather
• Atlantic and Northeast Region Severe Weather
• Midwest and Central Plains Winter Weather

While there are challenges that come with running an airline through winter weather conditions, Delta people remain steadfast in our commitment to safety and getting customers where they need to be as quickly as possible as operations recover at impacted airports.

Here are three things for customers to keep in mind if their travel is affected:

• Automatic Rebooking: If a flight is canceled, Delta will attempt to automatically rebook affected customers on the next available flight to get customers to where they’re going and minimize delays.
• Itinerary Updates: Delta will send updates on itinerary changes directly to a mobile device or by email. To enable this communication, please provide contact information at the time of booking or add it online via My Trips.
• Self Service: Customers are encouraged to download and use the Fly Delta app or visit delta.com to check their flight status and manage their rebooking with convenient self-service options.

Customers are encouraged to check their flight status on Delta.com or the Fly Delta Mobile App. Customers can also get updates sent directly to their mobile device or by email with One-Time Flight Notification.

Top Copyright Photo: Delta Air Lines Boeing 717-2BD N939AT (msn 55099) IAH (Jarrod Wilkening). Image: 959748.

Delta aircraft photo gallery (Boeing):