Delta Air Lines experienced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as it attempted to recover from a global software outage that affected operations for three consecutive days.
The Atlanta-based airline had already canceled 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600 on Sunday, according to FlightAware. The situation worsened with over 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights being canceled between Friday and Saturday.
By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, equating to around 20% of its planned operations for that day. In contrast, American Airlines reported only 38 canceled flights and 155 delays, amounting to about 5% of its scheduled flights.
The disruption was attributed to a flawed software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. A defect in the update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users, including Delta, unable to access critical systems. This incident triggered the infamous “Blue Screen of Death” for many users.
The repercussions of the outage were widespread, impacting various sectors such as healthcare, delivery, retail, and finance. Airlines faced the brunt of the fallout, with over 46,000 flights delayed and 5,171 canceled on Friday alone, according to FlightAware, with Delta facing the most significant challenges.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian acknowledged the situation, stating that canceling flights is a last resort and offering apologies to those affected. He noted that many of Delta’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including a crucial crew tracking tool that was hindered by the system failure. To assist customers, Delta implemented a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, alongside offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
In response to the chaos, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced on social media that his department had received numerous complaints about Delta’s response to the disruptions. He emphasized that the airline must ensure refunds, free rebooking, and prompt reimbursements for expenses incurred by stranded travelers. Buttigieg asserted that no customer should have to spend the night at an airport or wait for long periods to speak with customer service.