Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as the airline struggled to recover from a global software outage that grounded and delayed flights over the weekend.
On Sunday alone, Delta canceled approximately 1,300 flights and delayed roughly 1,600 flights, according to FlightAware. This followed a previous cancellation of more than 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights caused by the outage that began late Friday.
As of 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, which represented about 20% of its scheduled operations for the day. In contrast, American Airlines had only canceled 38 flights and delayed 155, equating to around 5% of its planned flights.
The issues at Delta arose from a problematic software update by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which was implemented late Thursday. A defect in this update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, causing corporate users to lose access to their systems, with some even encountering the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident impacted nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, though airlines and airports experienced the most severe effects. Over 46,000 flights were delayed and an additional 5,171 flights were canceled on Friday alone, with Delta being particularly hard-hit.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the flight cancellations, stating that such actions are always a last resort. He issued an apology to those affected, emphasizing Delta’s commitment to connecting travelers and the challenges posed when travel plans are disrupted.
Bastian noted that many of Delta’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including crucial tools for crew tracking, which were unable to function due to the system failure. To assist customers, Delta has offered a travel waiver allowing free changes to flight bookings, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg commented on the situation via social media on Sunday, mentioning that his department received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the disruptions. He emphasized that Delta should ensure refunds, free rebooking, and prompt reimbursements for affected customers, stating, “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent.”