Delta Air Lines has canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as it attempts to recover from a global software outage that caused widespread travel disruptions. The Atlanta-based airline canceled 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600 on Sunday alone, with more than 3,500 flights grounded between Friday and Saturday.
By Monday morning, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, equating to about 20% of its scheduled operations. In comparison, American Airlines reported only 38 canceled flights and 155 delayed, which is approximately 5% of its planned flights.
The troubles for Delta originated from a flawed software update implemented by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday night. This defect affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leading to access issues for corporate users, some of whom experienced the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident impacted nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, with airlines experiencing some of the worst effects. On Friday, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta bearing the brunt.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed apologies in a statement, emphasizing that canceling flights is a last resort and recognizing the frustration experienced by travelers. He noted that Delta relies on several Microsoft Windows applications, including a crew tracking tool that struggled to adapt to the system outage.
Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge, alongside offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated on social media that the Department of Transportation had received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the disruptions. He urged that refunds, complimentary rebooking, and timely reimbursements for affected customers’ food and lodging should be provided, emphasizing that no traveler should have to spend a night stranded at an airport or face prolonged wait times for customer support.