LOS ANGELES — Passengers aboard Delta Air Lines Flight DL2399 bound for Detroit on Sunday morning had no idea their flight’s departure hung in the balance inside a hotel elevator miles away from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
On November 8, 2026, the flight’s captain found themselves unexpectedly trapped in their layover hotel elevator shortly before they were scheduled to report to the airport.
Recognizing the impending delay, the flight’s first officer promptly alerted Delta operations of the situation, initiating quick coordination behind the scenes.
Despite the captain’s unexpected delay in reaching the aircraft, the crew and ground teams managed to streamline pre-flight procedures. The Airbus A321 (registration N108DN) pushed back from Gate 36 at LAX’s Terminal 3 right on schedule at 06:05 PST.
The aircraft taxied to Runway 24L and took off without incident, safely landing at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) four hours later, right on time.
