Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as it continued to recover from a three-day global software outage that had already grounded and delayed flights worldwide.
On Sunday alone, Delta canceled approximately 1,300 flights and delayed another 1,600, as reported by FlightAware. The airline had previously already canceled over 3,500 flights combined between Friday and Saturday.
By around 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, accounting for roughly 20% of its scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines only canceled 38 flights and delayed 155, representing about 5% of its operations.
The technical issues originated from a faulty software update implemented by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday night. This update adversely affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, causing corporate users widespread access issues and even triggering the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The fallout from the incident extended beyond airlines, impacting sectors such as healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines, and particularly Delta, experienced the brunt of the disruption, with over 46,000 flights delayed and 5,171 canceled on Friday alone, according to FlightAware.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the cancellations in a statement, emphasizing that such actions are a last resort. “I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events,” Bastian stated, reinforcing Delta’s commitment to connecting travelers and acknowledging the distress caused by the disruptions.
Bastian noted that many of Delta’s critical applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including a tool necessary for tracking crew assignments, which was unable to adapt due to the shutdown of systems. To assist affected customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing free flight changes and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
On Sunday, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg took to social media to share that his department had received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s management of the situation. He emphasized that Delta must offer refunds, complimentary rebooking, and prompt reimbursements for expenses incurred for food and lodging by impacted customers. Buttigieg also underscored the importance of ensuring that no traveler is left stranded overnight at airports or forced to wait excessively to connect with customer service.