Delta Air Lines faced significant travel disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as it continued to recover from a global software malfunction that grounded and delayed flights over the weekend.
On Sunday, the Atlanta-based airline canceled approximately 1,300 flights and delayed about 1,600, according to FlightAware statistics. This followed a previous cancellation of over 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights on Friday and Saturday. By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta reported 626 canceled flights and 144 delays, accounting for around 20% of its scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines reported only 38 cancellations and 155 delays, roughly 5% of its planned flights.
The disruptions originated from a flawed software update implemented by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday. The update adversely affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, causing corporate users to lose access to critical systems and, in some cases, resulting in the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The fallout impacted various industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but airlines and airports were particularly affected. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights experienced delays, with 5,171 cancellations noted by FlightAware, with Delta suffering the most significant impact.
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 that the airline relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for numerous applications, including tools vital for crew management that were unable to adapt to the system’s failure.
Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge and is offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced via social media that his office received “hundreds of complaints” concerning Delta’s management of the situation and emphasized that the airline is obligated to provide refunds, free rebooking, and timely reimbursements for food and accommodation to affected travelers. He added, “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent.”