Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as it continued to recover from a global software outage that affected operations over the weekend. The Atlanta-based airline reported the cancellation of approximately 1,300 flights on Sunday and 1,600 delays, with over 3,500 flights canceled between Friday and Saturday.
By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, marking about 20% of its scheduled operations for the day. In contrast, American Airlines managed to cancel only 38 flights with 155 delays, amounting to about 5% of its planned flights.
The root of Delta’s troubles was a failed software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which occurred late Thursday night. This update caused issues for Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access essential systems and encountering significant error screens.
The outage impacted nearly every major industry, including healthcare, retail, delivery services, and finance, with airlines experiencing some of the most severe effects. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights faced delays, with an additional 5,171 canceled, as reported by FlightAware, with Delta being particularly hard-hit.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the disruptions, stating that canceling flights is always a last resort. He offered apologies to affected customers and emphasized Delta’s commitment to facilitating travel and connectivity around the world.
Bastian explained that Delta utilizes numerous applications reliant on Microsoft Windows, including critical tools for tracking crew schedules, which were unable to adapt to the unexpected system shutdown. In response to the situation, Delta has introduced a travel waiver, enabling customers to change their flights at no additional cost, along with providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg voiced concerns via social media regarding Delta’s management of the disruptions, indicating that his department had received numerous complaints. He insisted that Delta must offer refunds, free rebooking options, and prompt reimbursements for meals and lodging to affected passengers, emphasizing that no traveler should have to endure overnight airport stays or extended waits on customer service lines.