Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as it work to recover from a global software outage that caused significant delays and cancellations over the past few days.
The Atlanta-based airline reported the cancellation of 1,300 flights on Sunday and experienced 1,600 delays, according to FlightAware. Between Friday and Saturday, Delta had already canceled over 3,500 flights, affecting both Delta and Delta Connection services.
By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, which accounted for about 20% of its planned operations for the day. In contrast, American Airlines reported only 38 cancellations and 155 delays, representing about 5% of its scheduled flights.
The disruptions were attributed to a faulty software update conducted by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday night, which adversely affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. As a result, numerous corporate users were left without access to crucial systems and some encountered the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident impacted nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, with airlines and airports feeling the brunt of the effects. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and an additional 5,171 were canceled, with Delta being the most significantly affected.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to everyone who has been impacted by these events. Delta is in the business of connecting the world, and we understand how difficult it can be when your travels are disrupted.”
Bastian mentioned that Delta relies on many applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, including a crew tracking tool that was unable to manage changes due to the system downtime. In response, Delta has implemented a travel waiver that allows customers to change their flights at no cost, along with providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg tweeted about the situation, revealing that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s management of the disruptions. Buttigieg emphasized that Delta is responsible for offering refunds, free rebooking, and prompt reimbursements for food and hotel stays to affected travelers. He further stated, “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent.”