Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as the airline worked to recover from a global software outage that caused widespread disruptions over the weekend.
On Sunday, Delta canceled approximately 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600 others, according to data from FlightAware. Previously, more than 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights were canceled between Friday and Saturday.
By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, which represented about 20% of its scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines only canceled 38 flights and delayed 155, equating to about 5% of its planned flights.
The problems for Delta were linked to a flawed software update implemented by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday night. This defect impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems, with some experiencing the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The outage affected a wide range of industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and financial institutions, with airlines and airports particularly hard hit. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta experiencing the most significant impact.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the flight cancellations in a statement, emphasizing that canceling flights is a last resort. He apologized to those affected, stating that Delta’s mission is to connect the world and acknowledging the difficulties caused by travel disruptions.
Bastian noted that Delta relies on a significant number of applications utilizing Microsoft Windows, including a tool for tracking crew members that could not adapt to the system disruption. In response, Delta has offered a travel waiver allowing customers to change flights without fees, in addition to providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg addressed the situation via social media on Sunday, stating that his department received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s management of the disruptions. He emphasized that Delta is obligated to issue refunds, offer free rebooking, and provide timely reimbursements for expenses like food and lodging to affected passengers.
Buttigieg asserted, “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent.”