Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as it continued to recover from a global software outage that affected operations worldwide over the weekend.
The Atlanta-based airline canceled 1,300 flights on Sunday and delayed an additional 1,600, as reported by FlightAware. Over the course of Friday and Saturday, Delta and its regional partner Delta Connection had previously canceled more than 3,500 flights.
As of 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, amounting to about 20% of its scheduled flights for the day. In comparison, American Airlines saw only 38 cancellations and 155 delays, representing roughly 5% of its planned operations.
The disruption originated from a faulty software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, implemented late Thursday, which adversely affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. This left numerous corporate clients, including Delta, unable to access their systems, and some experienced the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
This incident impacted various sectors, including healthcare, retail, and financial institutions, but airlines were particularly hard hit. On that Friday alone, over 46,000 flights experienced delays, and more than 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta suffering the most considerable ramifications.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the situation, stating that canceling flights is always a last resort and apologizing to affected travelers. He explained that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for many applications, including a crew tracking tool essential for managing operations that was disrupted by the software failure. In response to the chaos, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to modify their flights at no cost, and it is also offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced on social media that his department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s response to the disruptions. He emphasized that Delta needs to ensure refunds, free rebooking options, and prompt reimbursements for meals and hotel stays for those affected by the flight cancellations and delays. Buttigieg stressed that no traveler should be left stranded at an airport overnight or forced to wait for extended periods to reach customer service.