Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as it continued to deal with the fallout from a global software outage. This incident occurred three days earlier and had already led to large-scale cancellations and delays around the world.
On Sunday alone, Delta canceled approximately 1,300 flights and delayed around 1,600, according to FlightAware. The situation escalated over the weekend, with Delta canceling more than 3,500 flights from Friday to Saturday. As of 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta reported 626 canceled flights and 144 delays, accounting for about 20% of its scheduled operations. In comparison, American Airlines had fewer disruptions, canceling just 38 flights and delaying 155, which represented roughly 5% of its planned flights.
The root of Delta’s issues stemmed from a faulty software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which took place on Thursday night. This defect affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leading many corporate users to experience access issues and, in some cases, the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The impact was widespread, affecting various industries including healthcare providers, delivery services, retailers, and financial institutions, but airlines were particularly hard hit. More than 46,000 flights were delayed and over 5,171 were canceled on Friday alone, with Delta facing the most challenges.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret for the disruption in a statement, noting, “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.” He emphasized the importance of connectivity for travelers and explained that Delta utilizes numerous applications reliant on Microsoft Windows, including critical tools for crew tracking, which were incapacitated by the system shutdown.
To assist affected customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing free flight changes and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg remarked on social media that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the situation. He emphasized that Delta must ensure refunds, provide free rebooking, and offer timely reimbursements for food and hotel needs to customers impacted by the disruptions. “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent,” Buttigieg stated.