Delta Air Lines faced significant challenges on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as it struggled to recover from a global software outage that had grounded and delayed flights over the weekend. The Atlanta-based airline canceled approximately 1,300 flights on Sunday and delayed another 1,600, as reported by FlightAware. Overall, Delta and its regional partner Delta Connection had previously canceled more than 3,500 flights from Friday to Saturday.
By Monday morning, Delta reported the cancellation of 626 flights and 144 delays, representing around 20% of its scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines only canceled 38 flights and delayed 155, or about 5% of its operations.
The disruptions were largely attributed to a failed software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike that occurred late Thursday. This update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users without access and causing issues such as the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident impacted multiple sectors, including healthcare, delivery, retail, and finance, but the airline industry was particularly hard hit, with over 46,000 flight delays and more than 5,171 cancellations reported on Friday alone. Delta was among the worst affected.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the cancellations, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to everyone impacted by these events.” He noted that many of Delta’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including tools essential for crew tracking.
To assist affected customers, Delta implemented a travel waiver allowing free changes to flights, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.
In response to the situation, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg mentioned on social media that the Department of Transportation received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the disruptions. He emphasized that the airline must offer refunds, allow free rebooking, and provide timely reimbursements for meals and hotel stays to those affected. Buttigieg concluded by stating, “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent.”