Delta Air Lines has canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as the airline continues to face challenges three days after a global software failure disrupted air travel worldwide.
The Atlanta-based airline reported that it canceled 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600 flights on Sunday alone, according to FlightAware data. Previously, Delta canceled over 3,500 flights, including Delta and Delta Connection services, between Friday and Saturday.
By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had scrapped 626 flights and delayed 144, equating to about 20% of its scheduled flights. In comparison, American Airlines only canceled 38 flights and delayed 155, approximately 5% of its operations.
Delta’s operational difficulties were triggered by a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which occurred late Thursday night. This update adversely affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users unable to access critical systems and, in some instances, leading to crashes often referred to as the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident disrupted nearly every major industry, including healthcare, retail, delivery services, and finance, but airlines, particularly Delta, experienced the most significant impact. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and more than 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the cancellations, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to everyone affected by these events.” He acknowledged that Delta heavily relies on Microsoft Windows for many applications, including those used for crew tracking, which were unable to adjust due to the system outage. Delta is offering affected customers a travel waiver for free flight changes, as well as meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg noted on social media that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s management of the disruptions. He emphasized that Delta is obligated to provide refunds, facilitate free rebooking, and ensure timely reimbursements for any expenses related to food and lodging for those impacted.
“No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent,” Buttigieg stated.