Delta Air Lines faced significant operational disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as it continued to recover from a global software outage that had caused widespread delays and cancellations over the weekend.
On Sunday alone, Delta canceled 1,300 flights and delayed another 1,600, according to FlightAware. Earlier in the weekend, the airline had already canceled more than 3,500 flights across its network. By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, which accounted for about 20% of its scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines reported only 38 cancellations and 155 delays, representing about 5% of its planned flights.
The root of Delta’s troubles stemmed from a flawed software update by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which occurred late Thursday. This defect impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leading to access issues for corporate users and, in some cases, resulting in the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident had a ripple effect across various industries, including healthcare, retail, logistics, and finance, but airlines, particularly Delta, were among the hardest hit. On Friday, over 46,000 flights were delayed and another 5,171 flights were canceled.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort and something we don’t take lightly.” He apologized to passengers affected by the disruptions and acknowledged the challenges faced when travel plans are altered unexpectedly. Bastian noted that Delta utilizes a significant number of applications reliant on Microsoft Windows, including critical tools for crew tracking, which were unable to adapt due to the system outages. As part of their response, Delta introduced a travel waiver, allowing passengers to change flights free of charge, in addition to offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg highlighted the situation via social media, noting that his department had received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s management of the crisis. He urged the airline to ensure refunds, facilitate free rebookings, and provide timely reimbursement for expenses related to food and lodging for affected travelers, emphasizing that no passenger should have to remain stranded at an airport overnight or deal with lengthy hold times for customer service assistance.