Delta Air Lines canceled numerous flights on Monday as the company continues to address issues from a global software outage that affected its operations three days earlier.
The Atlanta-based airline canceled 1,300 flights on Sunday and delayed 1,600, according to FlightAware. Between Friday and Saturday, Delta had already canceled over 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights.
As of 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, accounting for about 20% of its planned operations. In contrast, American Airlines canceled 38 flights and delayed 155, making up roughly 5% of its scheduled flights.
Delta’s problems originated from a failed software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday night. A defect in the update disrupted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users without access and, in some cases, facing the “Blue Screen of Death.”
This incident impacted nearly every major industry, including healthcare providers, delivery companies, retailers, and financial institutions. Airlines and airports were particularly affected. On Friday alone, more than 46,000 flights were delayed, and 5,171 were canceled, with Delta facing the most significant impact.
“Canceling a flight is always a last resort and something we don’t take lightly,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a statement Sunday. “I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events. Delta is in the business of connecting the world, and we understand how difficult it can be when your travels are disrupted.”
Bastian explained that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for various applications, including a crucial crew tracking tool that was disrupted by the system shutdown. To compensate, Delta issued a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights for free and provided meal vouchers, hotel rooms, and transportation.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg stated on social media late Sunday that the Department of Transportation received “hundreds of complaints” about Delta’s handling of the disruptions. Buttigieg emphasized that Delta must offer refunds, free rebooking, and prompt reimbursement for food and hotel stays to affected passengers.
“No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent,” Buttigieg added.