Delta Air Lines has canceled hundreds of flights as it faces challenges recovering from a global software outage that disrupted operations for three days. On Sunday alone, the Atlanta-based airline canceled 1,300 flights and delayed another 1,600, according to FlightAware. The situation worsened over the previous weekend with more than 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights being canceled between Friday and Saturday.
On Monday morning, Delta reported 626 flight cancellations and 144 delays, amounting to approximately 20% of its planned operations for the day. In contrast, American Airlines had only canceled 38 flights and delayed 155, or about 5% of its scheduled operations.
The problems began due to a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that occurred late Thursday. This update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users, including airlines, unable to access critical systems and, in some cases, encountering the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The airline industry suffered significantly from this incident, with over 46,000 flights delayed and more than 5,171 canceled just on Friday, as reported by FlightAware. Delta was one of the hardest hit.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the disruptions, 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 emphasized that the airline relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for many of its applications, particularly those related to crew tracking.
In response to the disruptions, Delta has provided a travel waiver allowing customers to change flights without fee, as well as offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg noted on social media that the department received numerous complaints about Delta’s management of the situation, insisting that the airline must provide refunds, free rebooking, and prompt compensation for food and hotel expenses to affected customers. He stressed that no passenger should be left stranded at an airport or stuck on hold for extended periods trying to reach customer service.