ROMULUS (WWJ) - Millions of Americans are gearing up for travel ahead of the long, holiday weekend and passengers should prepare for crowds, potential flight delays and cancellations as the airline industry struggles to keep up.
WWJ reporter Charlie Langton reported live from a busy Detroit Metro Airport in Romulus Friday morning. Airport officials told Langton it's not as busy as it has been in the past, but a handful of delays and cancellations were starting to affect passengers trying to get to their holiday destinations.
One flight from Detroit to Miami was cancelled, stranding a Macomb County woman and her two children.
"What are you going to do?" Langton asked.
"I don't know, cry?" she answered with her 4-year-old and 6-year-old in tow. "Hopefully we'll get out of here today."
Langton said the best action travelers can take is check their schedule for changes in their flight prior to coming to the airport.
There were only a couple of flights affected by travel disruptions Friday morning, but airlines, such as Delta, have asked customers to be patient as they try to keep air travel operating on time.
In an email sent to the airline's customers, Bastian says he knows many travelers have experienced significant disruptions and he apologizes.
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"We've spent years establishing Delta as the industry leader in reliability, and though the majority of our flights continue to operate on time, this level of disruption and uncertainty is unacceptable," he wrote. "You choose to invest your time, resources and loyalty with Delta and you've rightly come to expect a world-class experience on every flight, and that includes the best reliability in the business."
He added that while the airline industry is currently facing "historic challenges,' Delta remains committed to providing passengers with the utmost care.
In an effort to resort reliability among the recent challenges, Bastian said the company is updating airport procedures, stationing hundreds of employees from the corporate office at major airports and accelerating hiring.
"The environment we're navigating today is unlike anything we've ever faced, but Delta is no stranger to challenging times, and our commitment to you is as strong as ever," Bastian added.
The statement comes as Delta is also dealing with a pilot shortage, a big reason behind the massive delays and cancellations.
Hundreds of off-duty pilots picketed nationwide on Thursday, including at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, as they protested protracted contract negotiations.
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