Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as it worked to recover from a global software outage that occurred three days earlier. The Atlanta-based airline reported the cancellation of 1,300 flights and 1,600 delays on Sunday, after already grounding over 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights between Friday and Saturday.
By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, amounting to roughly 20% of its planned operations for the day. In contrast, American Airlines managed to cancel just 38 flights and delay 155, which represents about 5% of its scheduled flights.
The airline’s problems were caused by a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday. This defect affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leading to access issues for corporate users and even resulting in some experiencing the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident had widespread repercussions across various sectors, including healthcare, retail, delivery services, and finance. Airlines, however, were particularly hard hit, with FlightAware reporting that over 46,000 flights were delayed, and 5,171 were canceled just on Friday. Delta experienced the most significant impact.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian issued an apology for the inconvenience, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. Delta is in the business of connecting the world, and we understand how difficult it can be when your travels are disrupted.”
Bastian explained that many of Delta’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, notably a tool for crew tracking that failed to adapt to the system shutdown. To assist affected customers, Delta has offered a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, along with meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced on social media that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s management of the disruptions. He emphasized that Delta is obligated to provide refunds, free rebooking, and prompt reimbursement for food and hotel expenses for those affected. Buttigieg concluded, “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent.”