Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as it continues to deal with the aftermath of a global software outage that caused widespread disruptions over the weekend.
The airline, based in Atlanta, grounded 1,300 flights and delayed another 1,600 on Sunday alone, according to data from FlightAware. In total, Delta and its regional partner Delta Connection saw over 3,500 flights canceled between Friday and Saturday.
On Monday morning, Delta had already canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, marking roughly 20% of its scheduled operations for the day. In comparison, American Airlines had canceled only 38 flights and delayed 155, representing about 5% of its planned flights.
The troubles originated from a faulty software update conducted by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday. The defective update impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and some facing the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The outage significantly affected various industries, including healthcare, retail, and financial services, but the airline sector was particularly hard hit. On Friday alone, more than 46,000 flights were delayed, and over 5,171 were canceled, with Delta facing the brunt of the disruptions.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret in a statement, emphasizing that canceling a flight is always a last resort. “I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events,” he said. Bastian acknowledged that Delta heavily relies on Microsoft Windows for many applications, including tools for crew tracking that failed to adjust due to the shutdown.
To assist affected customers, Delta has introduced a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, as well as offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation support.
On social media, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg shared that his department received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation. He stressed that the airline must offer refunds, free rebooking options, and timely reimbursements for expenses such as food and accommodations incurred by customers.
Buttigieg also stated, “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent.”