Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as it continued to recover from a global software outage that disrupted operations for three days.
On Sunday alone, the Atlanta-based airline canceled 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600, as reported by FlightAware. Over the previous two days, Delta had canceled over 3,500 flights between Delta and Delta Connection.
By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, the airline had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, amounting to about 20% of its scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines experienced only 38 flight cancellations and delayed 155, which is about 5% of its planned flights.
The complications for Delta were attributed to a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike on Thursday evening. This update negatively impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and facing issues like the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident affected multiple major industries, including healthcare, delivery, retail, and finance, but the airline industry faced particularly severe disruptions. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and 5,171 were canceled, with Delta bearing the brunt of this fallout.
Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, expressed regret for the cancellations, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly.” He apologized to passengers affected by the disruptions and noted that Delta aims to facilitate global connectivity, acknowledging the challenges travelers face when their plans are disrupted.
Bastian mentioned that Delta relies on numerous applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, which hindered operations, particularly a tool for tracking crew schedules affected by the system shutdown. To assist customers, Delta has rolled out a travel waiver allowing free flight changes and is offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
On Sunday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg reported receiving “hundreds of complaints” regarding how Delta managed the disruptions. He emphasized that Delta should provide refunds, free rebooking options, and prompt reimbursements for food and lodging to those affected.
Buttigieg further reiterated that no passenger should have to spend the night stranded at an airport or endure lengthy wait times to reach customer service.