Delta Air Lines experienced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling over 600 flights as the airline continues to recover from a global software outage that occurred days earlier.
On Sunday alone, Delta canceled 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600, following the cancellation of more than 3,500 flights between Friday and Saturday, as reported by FlightAware. By mid-morning on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed another 144, accounting for approximately 20% of its scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines reported just 38 cancellations and 155 delays, representing about 5% of its planned flights.
The problems began due to a faulty software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which disrupted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems late Thursday night. This issue affected numerous industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but airlines and airports faced the most severe consequences. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and 5,171 were canceled, with Delta suffering the biggest impact.
Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the situation, stating that flight cancellations are a last resort. He acknowledged the challenges caused by the disruptions and promised support to affected travelers. Delta has implemented a travel waiver, which allows customers to change their flights without fees and provides additional assistance such as meal vouchers and hotel accommodations.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg noted on social media that his department had received numerous complaints about Delta’s response to these disruptions. He emphasized the need for Delta to offer refunds, free rebooking options, and timely reimbursements for food and lodging to customers impacted by the situation, asserting that no traveler should have to wait indefinitely at an airport or struggle to reach customer service.