Careful study of when and where cancellations are most likely, and adjusting spareaircraft availability to keep flights moving if there is a breakdown helped, as did a rebuilt baggage system at its Atlanta hub to reduce lost luggage.
Since then, the airline has taken serious measures to improve its efficiency, including rebuilding its luggage system at its Atlanta hub to cut down on lost baggage, and analysing historical cancellation data to adjust the availability of spareaircraft in different hubs in order to keep flights moving.
The agreement includes plans for common maintenance and training on the A400M transport aircraft - which both countries are acquiring - and the possibility of France using the UK's air-to-air refuelling aircraft, when there is spare capacity and training.
The Air Force says the number of aircraft readily available for use in combat has been steadily declining due to shortages of spare parts and maintenance.
Without spare pilots or airplanes in New York, the airline decided to fly passengers to Atlanta to swap aircraft and crew rather than fly an empty plane to New York.