Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as the airline continued to face challenges from a global software outage that had grounded and delayed flights across the globe for three days.
On Sunday alone, Delta ended up canceling 1,300 flights and delaying an additional 1,600, according to FlightAware. This followed the cancellation of over 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights from Friday to Saturday.
By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, accounting for about 20% of its scheduled operations. In comparison, American Airlines canceled only 38 flights and delayed 155, which represented approximately 5% of their planned flights.
The troubles for Delta originated from a flawed software update conducted by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday, which inadvertently affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. This left corporate users without access and resulted in significant operational disruptions.
The incident had widespread effects, impacting several industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines and airports experienced the most significant disruptions, with more than 46,000 flights delayed and 5,171 canceled on Friday alone. Delta was particularly hard hit.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret in a statement on Sunday, emphasizing that canceling flights is a last resort. “I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events,” he said. Bastian noted the reliance on Microsoft Windows in many of Delta’s applications, including a key crew tracking tool that was disrupted.
To assist affected travelers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing for free changes to flights, along with providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg remarked on social media that his department has received numerous complaints about Delta’s management of the situation. He stated that Delta is obligated to offer refunds, free rebooking, and timely reimbursements for food and hotel expenses to those affected. He emphasized that no one should have to spend the night stranded at an airport or wait for extended periods to reach customer service.