Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as the airline continued to face challenges in recovering from a global software failure that had grounded and delayed flights worldwide for the past three days.
According to FlightAware, Delta canceled approximately 1,300 flights and delayed around 1,600 on Sunday alone. Over the weekend, the airline had already canceled more than 3,500 flights involving both Delta and Delta Connection.
By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, representing about 20% of its scheduled operations for the day. In comparison, American Airlines canceled only 38 flights and delayed 155, which amounted to about 5% of its planned operations.
The difficulties at Delta were traced back to a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that was implemented late Thursday night. This update caused issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, affecting corporate users who sometimes encountered the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The software incident impacted nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. However, airlines and airports suffered particularly severe fallout: more than 46,000 flights experienced delays on Friday, with an additional 5,171 cancellations. Delta was notably the most affected airline.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian released a statement on Sunday expressing regret for the disruptions and emphasizing that canceling flights is always a last resort. “I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events,” he stated. Bastian highlighted that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for many applications, including one that tracks crew assignments, which was disrupted by the system shutdown. To assist affected customers, Delta has established a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, alongside providing meal vouchers, accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg acknowledged on social media that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the crisis. He insisted that the airline must offer refunds, free rebooking options, and prompt reimbursement for food and lodging for those impacted. “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent,” Buttigieg remarked.