Delta Air Lines canceled a significant number of flights on Monday as the airline faced ongoing challenges from a global software outage that affected operations for three consecutive days.
The Atlanta-based airline canceled approximately 1,300 flights on Sunday and delayed another 1,600, as reported by FlightAware. This followed over 3,500 cancellations of Delta and Delta Connection flights between Friday and Saturday. By Monday morning, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, which accounted for around 20% of its planned operations for that day. In comparison, American Airlines had canceled just 38 flights and delayed 155, representing roughly 5% of its operations.
The disruptions were triggered by a malfunctioning software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that occurred late Thursday night. This defect impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving numerous corporate users unable to access their systems, and in some instances, they encountered the “Blue Screen of Death.”
Many industries were affected by this incident, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, with airlines and airports suffering the most severe consequences. On Friday alone, more than 46,000 flights were delayed and over 5,171 were canceled, with Delta being hit particularly hard.
Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the situation, stating on Sunday, “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 that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for various applications, including a crucial crew tracking tool that failed to process necessary changes due to the system shutdown. Delta has offered a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without fees, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg indicated on social media that his department received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s management of the disruptions. He emphasized that Delta should ensure refunds, facilitate free rebooking, and provide prompt reimbursements for affected customers’ meals and hotel stays, adding that no one should have to spend the night at an airport or endure long waits to reach a customer service representative.