Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as it continued to recover from a global software failure that disrupted operations over the weekend. This outage, which originated from a flawed software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, affected nearly every major industry, but airlines bore the brunt of the impact.
On Sunday, Delta canceled approximately 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600, as reported by FlightAware. The airline had already canceled over 3,500 flights between Delta and Delta Connection on Friday and Saturday. As of Monday morning, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, accounting for about 20% of its scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines canceled 38 flights and delayed 155, roughly 5% of its planned flights.
The software glitch particularly affected Microsoft Windows operating systems, causing significant disruption within corporate networks, including tools essential for crew tracking at Delta. CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the inconvenience caused, emphasizing that canceling flights is always a last resort for the airline. Delta has responded by offering a travel waiver that enables customers to change flights without penalty, alongside provisions for meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg addressed the situation on social media, indicating that his department received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the crisis. He insisted that Delta must offer refunds, allow free rebooking, and provide prompt reimbursements for expenses incurred due to the disruptions, stating that no passenger should be left stranded or face long wait times for customer service assistance.