Delta Air Lines faced significant operational challenges on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as it continued to recover from a global software outage that had caused major flight disruptions over the weekend.
The Atlanta-based airline canceled 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600 on Sunday alone, according to FlightAware data. This followed the cancellation of more than 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights between Friday and Saturday due to the same issue.
As of around 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, accounting for approximately 20% of its scheduled operations for the day. In contrast, American Airlines reported only 38 canceled flights and 155 delays, representing about 5% of its operations.
The root of Delta’s troubles stems from a flawed software update implemented by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday night, which inadvertently affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. As a result, many corporate users experienced system access issues, including some encountering the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident had widespread repercussions, impacting various sectors like healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines, and airports were particularly hard hit, with over 46,000 flights delayed and more than 5,000 flights canceled on Friday alone, as noted by FlightAware.
Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the disruptions in a statement, saying, “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 emphasized the airline’s commitment to customer service and connecting the world.
Bastian explained that Delta relies on numerous applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, including a crew tracking tool that could not adjust to the system shutdown. To assist affected travelers, Delta has issued a travel waiver allowing customers to change their bookings without penalty and has also offered meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg addressed the situation on social media, stating that his office had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the disruptions. Buttigieg emphasized that Delta must ensure refunds, free rebooking, and timely reimbursements for food and lodging for affected customers, noting that no one should be left stranded overnight at airports or held on lengthy customer service calls.