Delta Air Lines has canceled hundreds of flights as it continues to deal with the aftermath of a global software outage that disrupted operations worldwide.
On Sunday alone, the airline canceled 1,300 flights and delayed another 1,600, as reported by FlightAware. Between Friday and Saturday, Delta had already canceled over 3,500 flights in total.
As of 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, representing approximately 20% of its planned operations for the day. In comparison, American Airlines reported only 38 cancellations and 155 delays, accounting for about 5% of its scheduled flights.
The disruptions were triggered by a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems and left many corporate users without access. The incident notably caused widespread issues across numerous industries, hitting airlines and airports particularly hard. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, with an additional 5,171 cancellations reported.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly.” He issued an apology to those affected and acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the disruptions. Bastian highlighted that Delta relies on numerous applications utilizing Microsoft Windows, including critical tools for crew tracking, which were unable to function due to the system outage. The airline is offering affected customers a travel waiver allowing them to change their flights free of charge, along with meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg commented on social media about the situation, noting that his department received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the crisis. He emphasized that Delta should ensure refunds, facilitate free rebooking, and provide prompt reimbursements for food and hotel expenses for those impacted. Buttigieg added that no one should be left stranded at an airport overnight or have to wait hours to reach customer service.