Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as it struggled to recover from a global software outage that occurred three days earlier. This incident had already led to the cancellation of more than 3,500 flights over the weekend due to issues stemming from a botched software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike.
On Sunday alone, Delta canceled 1,300 flights and delayed another 1,600, according to data from FlightAware. By early Monday morning, the airline had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, which accounted for about 20% of its scheduled operations. In comparison, American Airlines reported just 38 canceled flights and 155 delays, amounting to roughly 5% of its planned services.
The software update, which went wrong late on Thursday, impacted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and, at times, dealing with notorious errors like the “Blue Screen of Death.” The incident affected a wide range of industries, including healthcare, delivery, retail, and finance, but airlines were hit particularly hard. On Friday alone, there were more than 46,000 flight delays and over 5,000 cancellations, with Delta being the worst affected.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian issued an apology to those impacted by the disruption, emphasizing that canceling flights is not taken lightly. He explained that numerous Delta applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including critical tools for crew tracking, which were unable to adjust due to the outage. In light of these challenges, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change flights without fees and is offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg expressed concerns on social media about Delta’s management of the situation, noting that his department received numerous complaints. He stated that Delta is required to provide affected customers with refunds, free rebooking options, and timely reimbursements for necessary expenses such as meals and hotel stays, emphasizing that no one should be stranded at an airport or left waiting excessively for customer service assistance.