Delta Faces Growing Issues Customers May Begin to Feel

Consumers might not have begun to feel the impacts of the tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump presidential administration earlier this year, but those tariffs are already posing a major problem for airlines, and consumers may soon feel it, too.

As Travel and Tour World points out, the major airlines in the United States have been cutting routes across the country as a result of "a perfect storm of rising costs, fleet limitations, and deepening trade uncertainty." And Delta Air Lines has been among those impacted.

Dela has already shut down its international flights between Los Angeles and Guatemala City as well as Los Angeles and San Salvador, and the airline recently announced that it will end its long-running route between New York LaGuardia and Dayton, Ohio by September.

Additionally, Delta has another problem: the tariffs imposed on imported aircraft.

Delta has a longstanding relationship with the European-based aircraft manufacturer Airbus and currently has a significant number of jets on order. The problem is, those orders now face a 10 percent import tariff that was imposed back in April.

However, Delta CEO Ed Bastian has made it very clear that Delta will not be paying those tariffs and will reject 

"We will not pay those tariffs," Bastian said back in April. "And that is very clear."

While customers might not feel the impacts of the tariffs immediately, Travel and Tour World points out that one way or another, they'll likely start to feel it eventually, even if it isn't specifically in the price.

"So while travelers may not feel the full impact just yet, the potential for delayed aircraft means fewer upgrades, route expansions, and schedule flexibility in the months ahead," Travel and Tour World wrote this week.

Clearly, Delta is going to have to find a way to navigate an uncertain economic environment while still providing the level of service that customers have come to expect. That might not be easy, and there's a chance that travelers might begin to notice in the coming months.