Delta Air Lines faced a significant operational setback on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as the airline struggles to recover from a global software outage that had caused disruptions over the weekend.
On Sunday alone, Delta canceled approximately 1,300 flights and delayed around 1,600, with prior cancellations exceeding 3,500 flights for both Delta and Delta Connection between Friday and Saturday, as reported by FlightAware. By Monday morning, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, amounting to about 20% of its scheduled operations. In comparison, American Airlines reported just 38 flight cancellations and 155 delays, representing about 5% of its flights.
The crisis originated from a problematic software update conducted by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday, which inadvertently affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. This defect left corporate users, including airlines, without critical access to systems, leading to widespread operational challenges.
The fallout from this incident was felt across various sectors, with airlines and airports being particularly hard-hit. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and more than 5,171 were canceled, as indicated by FlightAware; Delta experienced the most severe impact.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the cancellations, emphasizing that interrupting travel is a last resort for the airline. He acknowledged the disruptions faced by customers and outlined the company’s efforts to provide support, including a travel waiver allowing customers to change flights without charge, as well as meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg addressed the issue on social media, revealing that his department received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the disruptions. He urged the airline to ensure refunds, free rebooking, and prompt reimbursements for impacted customers, reinforcing that no traveler should be left stranded at an airport or waiting excessively for customer service assistance.