Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as it continued to recover from a global software outage that occurred three days earlier, causing widespread flight delays and cancellations. The Atlanta-based airline had already canceled 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600 on Sunday, with previous cancellations exceeding 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights over the weekend.
By Monday morning, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, amounting to approximately 20% of its scheduled flights for the day. In contrast, American Airlines reported only 38 cancellations and 155 delays, representing about 5% of its operations.
The disruptions were largely caused by a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday, which affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. This malfunction left numerous corporate users unable to access their systems, with many experiencing the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.” The incident impacted various sectors, including healthcare, retail, financial services, and particularly airlines and airports, with over 46,000 flights delayed and 5,171 cancellations on Friday alone, according to FlightAware.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the situation, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to everyone affected.” He highlighted that Delta relies heavily on applications using Microsoft Windows, including tools for tracking crew assignments, which were unable to function due to the software failure. In response, Delta announced a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights for free, along with providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg noted that the department had received hundreds of complaints about Delta’s response to the disruptions and emphasized that the airline must offer refunds, facilitate free rebooking, and ensure timely reimbursements for affected customers. He remarked, “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent.”