Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as it continues to recover from a global software outage that disrupted operations over the weekend.
The Atlanta-based airline had already canceled 1,300 flights and delayed another 1,600 on Sunday, following a significant impact from the outage that affected more than 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights between Friday and Saturday.
As of 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta canceled 626 flights and delayed 144—accounting for about 20% of its planned flights. In contrast, American Airlines reported only 38 cancellations and 155 delays, which is roughly 5% of its planned operations.
The disruptions were caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday, which inadvertently affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. This left many corporate users, including Delta, unable to access their systems, leading to significant operational challenges.
Several major industries, including healthcare, retail, and finance, were also impacted, but airlines and airports faced the brunt of the delays and cancellations. On Friday, over 46,000 flights were delayed and more than 5,171 were canceled, with Delta bearing the most considerable impact.
“Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian in a statement. He apologized to all affected travelers, emphasizing Delta’s commitment to connecting the world and acknowledging the difficulties caused by travel disruptions.
Bastian indicated that Delta relies on many applications that run on Microsoft Windows, including systems critical for crew tracking, which were unable to adapt following the shutdown. To assist customers affected by the disruptions, Delta has issued travel waivers allowing for free flight changes, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg noted on social media that his department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s management of the situation. He emphasized that Delta must ensure refunds, free rebooking options, and timely reimbursements for affected customers’ meals and hotel stays, stating that no one should be left stranded at an airport overnight or stuck waiting on hold for customer service.