Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as it continues to recover from a significant global software outage that affected travel worldwide over the weekend.
On Sunday, Delta canceled 1,300 flights and delayed another 1,600, according to FlightAware. The airline had previously canceled 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, representing about 20% of its planned operations. In contrast, American Airlines saw just 38 flight cancellations and 155 delays, or about 5% of its scheduled services.
The difficulties for Delta originated from a flawed software update by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike that occurred late Thursday. This error affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and, in some cases, encountering a “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident impacted nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery, retail, and finance, with airlines and airports being particularly hard-hit. On Friday alone, FlightAware reported over 46,000 flight delays and 5,171 cancellations, with Delta bearing the brunt of the disruptions.
“Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian in a statement on Sunday. “I want to apologize to everyone affected by these events. Delta is committed to connecting the world, and we recognize how challenging it is when travel plans are disrupted.”
Bastian noted that Delta relies on a significant number of applications using Microsoft Windows, including a tool for tracking crew schedules that was unable to manage changes due to the system’s failure. In response, Delta has implemented a travel waiver, allowing customers to change their flights without charge, and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced on Sunday that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s management of the disruptions. He emphasized that Delta must ensure refunds, free rebooking options, and timely reimbursements for food and lodging for passengers affected by the chaos.
“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.