Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as it continued to deal with the fallout from a global software outage that impacted travel over the previous days.
The Atlanta-based airline saw a massive impact, having canceled 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600 on Sunday alone, according to FlightAware data. This followed earlier cancellations of over 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights between Friday and Saturday.
As of 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta reported 626 cancellations and 144 delays, which accounted for roughly 20% of its scheduled flights for the day. In contrast, American Airlines only canceled 38 flights and delayed 155, equating to about 5% of its planned operations.
The root of Delta’s troubles was linked to a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that occurred late Thursday. This defect unfortunately affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users unable to access essential services and causing chaos, including the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The impact of this incident extended across various sectors, hitting healthcare providers, delivery services, retailers, and financial institutions hard. However, airlines experienced the most pronounced challenges. On Friday, over 46,000 flights were delayed and approximately 5,171 were canceled, with Delta being the most affected carrier.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian emphasized the seriousness of flight cancellations, stating that they are always a last resort. He extended his apologies to those affected and acknowledged the difficulties caused by the travel disruptions. Bastian noted that a significant number of Delta’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, which hampered their operations, including crucial crew tracking tools.
The airline has initiated a travel waiver, allowing customers to alter their flights without fees and providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transport options.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg noted on social media that his department received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s management of the situation. He underscored that Delta is required to refund customers, offer free rebooking, and ensure timely reimbursements for expenses related to food and lodging. Buttigieg stressed that no individual should have to face prolonged delays at an airport or struggle to reach customer service.