Delta Air Lines has canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as the airline continues to recover from a global software outage that disrupted operations for three days.
On Sunday alone, Delta canceled 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600 according to data from FlightAware. In total, the airline had previously canceled more than 3,500 flights, including those operated by Delta Connection, between Friday and Saturday.
By Monday morning, Delta reported 626 canceled flights and 144 delayed flights, which accounted for approximately 20% of its operations for the day. In contrast, American Airlines canceled only 38 flights and delayed 155, representing about 5% of its scheduled flights.
The issues affecting Delta were linked to a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that occurred late Thursday. A flaw in the update impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, preventing corporate users from accessing their systems and causing instances of the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The outage affected various sectors, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but airlines and airports were particularly hard hit. On Friday, over 46,000 flights faced delays, and more than 5,171 were canceled, with Delta among the most severely impacted.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian issued an apology to those affected by the disruptions, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly.” He emphasized that Delta’s core mission is to connect the world and acknowledged the difficulties faced by travelers during these incidents.
Bastian noted that many of Delta’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, particularly a crew tracking tool that could not adapt to the operational changes caused by the system failure. To assist customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, along with providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg addressed the situation on social media, indicating that his department received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the disruptions. He highlighted the airline’s obligation to issue refunds, provide free rebooking, and ensure timely reimbursements for affected customers’ food and hotel costs. “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent,” he added.