Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as the airline faced ongoing challenges following a global software outage that had grounded and delayed flights worldwide for three days.
The Atlanta-based airline reported the cancellation of 1,300 flights on Sunday, with an additional 1,600 delayed, according to FlightAware. This followed a previous cancellation of more than 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights from Friday to Saturday.
As of around 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, affecting approximately 20% of its scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines reported just 38 canceled flights and 155 delays, equating to around 5% of its planned flights.
The disruptions at Delta are linked to a problematic software update carried out by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday night. A flaw in the update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users unable to access their systems, in some cases encountering the dreaded “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident impacted nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, with airlines and airports experiencing particularly severe effects. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and an additional 5,171 were canceled, with Delta being the most significantly affected airline.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the situation in a statement, emphasizing that canceling flights is a last resort. “I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events. Delta is in the business of connecting the world, and we understand how difficult it can be when your travels are disrupted,” he stated.
Bastian noted that a considerable number of Delta’s applications utilize Microsoft Windows, including a tool for crew tracking that was hampered by the system outage. In response, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge, along with offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
On Sunday, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg revealed on social media that his department received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s management of the disruptions. He asserted that Delta must offer refunds, free rebooking, and timely reimbursements for food and lodging to affected passengers. “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent,” Buttigieg added.