Recent Snowstorm Affecting Delta's Flights

As the east coast is slammed by a snowstorm, it is having many affects on the area, especially flights arriving and departing from here. Delta has cancelled many of its flights in the Northeast and suspended its East Coast shuttle prior to the snowstorm. Delta and the other big airlines all cancelled flights after the snowstorm hit; however, Delta was the only one to cancel flights before the arrival of the snowstorm.

The snowstom does not help the major airlines, especially bankrupt Delta, that continue to struggle financially. This snowstorm has effected the ability of Delta to efficiently work, creating a loss of profit. Delta has lost time needed to fly more people into and out of the Northeast. Delta can not make up this time again, and therefore they have lost profits. Delta can not afford to lose more time because of their financial problems. There's obviously nothing Delta can do to retrieve this lost time, but Delta must have anticipated such loses. However, Delta took an extra risk of cancelling flights before the storm arrived. In this case it paid off, but if the storm had not been as powerful, they would have lost time for no reason. Should Delta be taking risks when it can not afford to be wrong? Or will these risks pay off?