Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as the airline continues to recover from a global software outage that affected operations over the weekend.
On Sunday alone, Delta canceled 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600, with the total cancellations from Friday to Saturday exceeding 3,500 flights, according to FlightAware. By Monday morning, Delta had already canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, representing around 20% of its scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines canceled just 38 flights and delayed 155, which is about 5% of its planned flights for that day.
The airline’s troubles began following a flawed software update implemented by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike on Thursday night. The update caused issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users unable to access their systems and, in some cases, encountering the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The impact of the software glitch rippled through various sectors, including healthcare, retail, delivery services, and financial institutions, but the airline industry was particularly hard hit. On Friday alone, there were over 46,000 flight delays and 5,171 cancellations reported.
Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, expressed regret over the cancellations, stating that they are a last resort and not taken lightly. He apologized to customers affected by the disruptions and emphasized Delta’s commitment to connecting travelers globally. Bastian acknowledged that many of Delta’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including a critical tool for crew tracking, which contributed to the operational challenges.
In response to the situation, Delta has initiated a travel waiver, allowing customers to change their flights without a fee and providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg noted on social media that his department had received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s management of the incident and emphasized that Delta must ensure refunds, free rebooking, and timely reimbursements for food and lodging to affected passengers. He stressed that no one should have to spend the night at an airport or face long wait times for customer service assistance.