Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as the airline struggled to bounce back from a global software outage that impacted travel for three consecutive days.
The Atlanta-based airline reported the cancellation of 1,300 flights and the delay of 1,600 on Sunday alone, as detailed by FlightAware. Over the previous two days, Delta and Delta Connection flights saw more than 3,500 cancellations.
As of around 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, marking about 20% of its scheduled operations for the day. In contrast, American Airlines canceled only 38 flights and delayed 155, accounting for approximately 5% of its planned flights.
The troubles facing Delta originated from a flawed software update executed by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday. This defect created issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users unable to access their systems, with some experiencing the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The fallout from the incident affected numerous sectors, including healthcare, logistics, retail, and finance. The airline industry was particularly hard hit, with more than 46,000 flight delays and over 5,171 cancellations reported on Friday alone, as per FlightAware, with Delta suffering the most.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret in a statement, saying, “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 clarified that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows across many applications, including tools for crew tracking, which were unable to adapt to the shutdown circumstances. The airline has issued travel waivers allowing customers to change flights at no cost, alongside providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg commented on social media on Sunday, stating that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” about how Delta managed the disruption. He insisted that Delta must ensure refunds, free rebooking options, and quick reimbursements for affected customers’ food and lodging expenses.
“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.