Delta Air Lines experienced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as it continued to recover from a global software outage that affected its operations over the weekend.
On Sunday alone, Delta canceled 1,300 flights and delayed another 1,600, following a total of more than 3,500 cancellations and delays from Friday to Saturday. Reports indicate that on Monday morning, Delta had already scrapped 626 flights and delayed 144, which accounted for approximately 20% of its scheduled services. In contrast, American Airlines recorded only 38 cancellations and 155 delays, representing about 5% of their planned flights.
The root of Delta’s troubles lies in a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. This update, rolled out late Thursday evening, caused issues with Microsoft’s Windows systems, affecting corporate users and resulting in the infamous “Blue Screen of Death” on some devices.
Numerous sectors, including healthcare, retail, and finance, were impacted by the incident. However, the aviation industry bore the brunt of the fallout, with over 46,000 flights delayed and 5,171 canceled on Friday alone, according to FlightAware, with Delta being the most affected airline.
Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the cancellations, emphasizing that they are not made lightly. He assured those affected that Delta is committed to connecting the world and understands the difficulties that travel disruptions cause. He noted that a significant number of Delta’s operations depend on Microsoft Windows applications, including tools crucial for crew management, which were rendered ineffective due to the outage.
To assist impacted customers, Delta has introduced a travel waiver to allow free flight changes and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation as needed.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg highlighted his department’s receipt of numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation and emphasized that the airline should ensure refunds, free rebooking, and timely reimbursements for expenses incurred by stranded travelers. Buttigieg stated that no one should have to stay overnight at an airport or wait long periods to speak with customer service.