Tuesday briefing: Easter chaos clears, easyJet strike fallout, and Delta's big week begins
Easter Monday delivered 5,029 US flight disruptions. easyJet's French cabin crew struck. Capacity cuts spread to Croatian leisure routes. And Delta's earnings on Wednesday open the most consequential week of the airline earnings season.
Good morning. Easter weekend is behind us. Here is what matters this Tuesday.
US sees 5,000 disruptions on Easter Monday
Easter Monday delivered the worst single day of travel disruption so far in 2026 across the United States. A total of 5,029 flights were affected — 307 cancellations and 4,722 delays. Delta led on cancellations with 139, while American Airlines recorded 582 delays across its network. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta recorded 35 cancellations, the worst performance of any US airport on the day. Recovery is expected through Tuesday as airlines reposition aircraft and crews. The disruption compounds an already difficult operating environment for US carriers heading into Delta's earnings on Wednesday.
easyJet's French cabin crew walk out
French cabin crew at easyJet staged a 24-hour strike on Easter Monday after 53.8% of voting employees rejected new contractual terms covering pay and working hours, with a participation rate of 70%. The UNAC union, which called the action, cited scheduling instability and last-minute base changes as the primary grievances alongside pay. The strike affected all six of easyJet's French bases including Paris-Orly, Charles de Gaulle, Nice and Lyon. The timing — peak Easter return travel — maximised passenger disruption and negotiating leverage simultaneously.
Capacity cuts spread to Croatia
Several carriers have adjusted schedules to Croatia as rising jet fuel costs force network revisions across Europe. Turkish Airlines trimmed its Istanbul-Zagreb service from 21 to between 18 and 20 weekly flights. SAS suspended its Copenhagen-Split route between April 18 and May 2. Volotea cut frequency on multiple Croatian routes and Ryanair reduced its Zagreb-Paphos service from five to four weekly flights. Croatia becomes the latest European leisure market to absorb the knock-on effects of the fuel shock, with carriers prioritising yield over volume on thinner routes.
Virgin Atlantic expands London-Bengaluru
Against the broader picture of capacity cuts, Virgin Atlantic is moving in the opposite direction on the London-Bengaluru route, announcing a significant increase in frequency between Heathrow and India's technology hub. The expansion reflects sustained corporate and technology sector travel demand on the route, where Virgin competes with Air India and British Airways.
What to watch this week
Delta reports first quarter earnings on Wednesday at 6.30am Eastern — we set out the three numbers that matter in our preview piece published yesterday. The Trump administration's pause on striking Iranian energy infrastructure expires tonight at 8pm Eastern. Whatever follows will move oil prices and airline stocks simultaneously when Asian markets open.
