Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as the airline continues to deal with the fallout from a global software outage that disrupted operations for three days.
On Sunday alone, Delta canceled 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600, according to data from FlightAware. This followed over 3,500 cancellations involving both Delta and Delta Connection flights from Friday to Saturday. By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, amounting to approximately 20% of its scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines reported only 38 cancellations and 155 delays, representing about 5% of its planned flights.
The problems originated from a failed software update implemented by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike on Thursday night. A flaw in this update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, disrupting access for corporate users and leading to issues such as the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident impacted numerous sectors, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but the airline industry was particularly hard hit. On Friday, over 46,000 flights were delayed and 5,171 were canceled, with Delta facing the brunt of the disruptions.
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.” He noted that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows applications, including tools used for crew tracking, which were unable to function due to the outage. In response to the situation, Delta has implemented a travel waiver, offering customers the ability to change their flights at no cost and providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg acknowledged receiving “hundreds of complaints” about Delta’s management of the situation. He stated that Delta must ensure affected customers receive refunds, free rebooking options, and timely reimbursements for food and lodging costs. Buttigieg emphasized, “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent.”