Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as it struggled to recover from a global software failure that had grounded flights for three days.
On Sunday, Delta scrapped 1,300 flights and delayed another 1,600, according to FlightAware, following the cancellation of over 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights from Friday to Saturday.
By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, amounting to nearly 20% of its scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines reported only 38 cancellations and 155 delays, representing about 5% of its planned flights.
The issues at Delta originated from a problematic software update conducted by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday, which inadvertently affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. This resulted in many users losing access to their systems and experiencing the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident impacted various sectors, including healthcare, logistics, retail, and finance, but airlines faced the most severe consequences, with over 46,000 flight delays and 5,171 cancellations on Friday alone, according to FlightAware, with Delta being particularly affected.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the situation. “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events,” he stated. Bastian highlighted that Delta relies on numerous applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, which contributed to the challenges faced, especially with a crew tracking tool that failed to process necessary changes.
In response, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights at no additional cost, along with providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg acknowledged via social media on Sunday that his department received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation. He emphasized that Delta should ensure refunds, free rebooking options, and timely reimbursements for food and lodging for affected passengers. He stated, “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent.”