Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as the airline continued to recover from a global software outage that occurred three days earlier, affecting travel across the globe.
On Sunday, Delta canceled approximately 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600, according to data from FlightAware. This followed more than 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flight cancellations between Friday and Saturday.
By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, amounting to about 20% of its planned operations. In contrast, American Airlines reported only 38 cancellations and 155 delays, representing around 5% of its scheduled flights.
The disruption was attributed to a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which was implemented late Thursday night. This defect impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, preventing corporate users from accessing their systems and causing various issues, including the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident had a widespread impact across numerous industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, with airlines and airports experiencing some of the most severe effects. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and another 5,171 were canceled, with Delta suffering the largest impact.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed his regrets in a statement, stating, “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. Delta is in the business of connecting the world, and we understand how difficult it can be when your travels are disrupted.”
Bastian explained that a “significant number of applications” at Delta rely on Microsoft Windows, including a tool related to crew tracking that could not adapt to the system’s shutdown. Delta has issued a travel waiver, allowing customers to change their flights without charge, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg noted on social media that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s management of the disruptions. He demanded that Delta offer refunds, free rebooking, and prompt reimbursements for food and lodging to affected passengers.
“No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent,” Buttigieg emphasized.