Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as the airline attempts to recover from a global software outage that affected operations for several days. On Sunday alone, Delta canceled approximately 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600, following the cancellation of over 3,500 flights throughout Friday and Saturday.
By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, amounting to roughly 20% of its scheduled operations for the day. In contrast, American Airlines reported only 38 cancellations and 155 delays, representing about 5% of its planned flights.
The turmoil arose from a problematic software update executed by CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm, on Thursday night. The update led to issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, causing corporate users to lose access to their systems and experience the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident had widespread implications, impacting various sectors such as healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but the airline industry felt the brunt of it. On Friday, more than 46,000 flights were delayed, with an additional 5,171 canceled, as reported by FlightAware, with Delta experiencing the most severe effects.
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 everyone impacted by these events.” Bastian noted that Delta employs many applications reliant on Microsoft Windows, including one vital for crew tracking, which was affected by the system failure. In response, Delta has rolled out a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge, and has also provided meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg commented on social media late Sunday, revealing that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation. He emphasized that Delta must provide refunds, complimentary rebooking services, and prompt reimbursements for expenses related to food and accommodations for 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 asserted.