Delta Air Lines has canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as the airline continues to recover from a global software outage that occurred three days prior, disrupting travel worldwide.
On Sunday, Delta reported the cancellation of 1,300 flights and delays for 1,600 others according to FlightAware. This followed the cancellation of over 3,500 flights from Friday to Saturday.
As of around 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, amounting to roughly 20% of its scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines reported only 38 cancellations and 155 delays, representing about 5% of its planned flights.
The disruptions originated from a flawed software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that occurred late Thursday night. The defect affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and encountering issues such as the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident impacted nearly all major industries, including healthcare, retail, delivery services, and financial institutions. Airlines and airports faced significant challenges, with FlightAware reporting over 46,000 flight delays and 5,171 cancellations on Friday alone, with Delta suffering the most.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the situation, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events.” He noted the reliance of Delta on Microsoft Windows for numerous applications, including a crew tracking tool that was unable to adapt to the system’s shutdown. To assist affected customers, Delta has offered a travel waiver for free flight changes, along with meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg addressed the situation on social media, indicating that his department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the delays and cancellations. He emphasized that Delta must ensure refunds, free rebooking, and timely reimbursements for affected travelers for meals and hotel stays. Buttigieg added, “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent.”