Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as it continues to grapple with the aftermath of a global software outage that disrupted operations for three days.
The airline, based in Atlanta, reported the cancellation of 1,300 flights and delays for 1,600 on Sunday alone, as tracked by FlightAware. This followed more than 3,500 cancellations involving Delta and Delta Connection flights over the previous Friday and Saturday.
As of 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had already canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, amounting to around 20% of its planned operations. In contrast, American Airlines only canceled 38 flights and delayed 155, representing about 5% of its schedules.
The complications arose from a flawed software update conducted by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday, which affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. This left many corporate users unable to access their systems and some experienced the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident impacted nearly every major sector, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but airlines, particularly Delta, faced the most significant setbacks. On Friday alone, more than 46,000 flights were delayed and an additional 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret, 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 acknowledged the challenges faced by travelers and noted that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for various applications, including a crucial crew tracking tool that was unable to function due to the outage.
To assist affected customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing free flight changes and is offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg highlighted on social media that his department received “hundreds of complaints” related to Delta’s handling of the situation. He emphasized that Delta needs to ensure refunds, free rebooking, and timely reimbursements for meals and accommodations for those impacted.
“Buttigieg remarked, ‘No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent.’”