Delta Air Lines has canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as it continues to face challenges following a global software outage that disrupted operations for three days.
On Sunday alone, Delta canceled 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600, as reported by FlightAware. The airline previously canceled over 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights from Friday to Saturday.
As of around 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta reported 626 flight cancellations and 144 delays, accounting for about 20% of its planned operations for the day. In contrast, American Airlines had only canceled 38 flights and delayed 155, representing about 5% of its planned flights.
The difficulties at Delta can be traced back to an unsuccessful software update carried out by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday night. This update caused issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users unable to access their systems and, in some cases, experiencing the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident affected nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. The aviation sector was particularly hard hit; on Friday, over 46,000 flights were delayed and 5,171 were canceled, with Delta bearing the brunt of the impact.
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 every one of you who have been impacted by these events.” He noted that Delta relies on numerous applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, including tools for crew tracking that failed due to the system shutdown. The airline has issued a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights for free and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg mentioned on social media that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s management of the disruptions. He urged Delta to provide refunds, facilitate free rebooking, and ensure timely reimbursements for affected customers’ food and lodging. Buttigieg also emphasized that no traveler should remain stranded overnight at an airport or wait for extended periods to reach customer service.