Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as the airline continued to deal with the aftermath of a global software outage that grounded and delayed flights for three consecutive days.
On Sunday alone, Delta canceled approximately 1,300 flights and experienced 1,600 delays, according to FlightAware data. The airline had previously canceled over 3,500 flights, including those operated by Delta Connection, between Friday and Saturday.
As of 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had already canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, accounting for around 20% of its scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines reported only 38 cancellations and 155 delays, which represents about 5% of its planned flights.
The root of Delta’s challenges was traced to a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which occurred late Thursday night. This update caused problems for Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, preventing corporate users from accessing necessary systems and in some instances causing the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident affected a wide range of industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but airlines and airports were among the hardest hit. On Friday, over 46,000 flights experienced delays, and an additional 5,171 flights were canceled, with Delta suffering the brunt of the impact.
Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, expressed regret in a statement issued on Sunday, emphasizing that canceling flights is a last resort for the company. He acknowledged the difficulties experienced by affected travelers. Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge, in addition to providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced late Sunday on social media that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation. He emphasized the need for Delta to offer refunds, free rebooking, and timely reimbursements for food and accommodations to those impacted.
“Buttigieg stressed that no one should be left stranded at an airport overnight or kept on hold for extended periods while waiting for customer service assistance,” the statement read.