Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as the airline continues to recover from a global software outage that occurred three days prior, leading to widespread delays and cancellations.
According to FlightAware, Delta canceled 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600 on Sunday alone, following over 3,500 cancellations of Delta and Delta Connection flights between Friday and Saturday. By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed another 144, which accounted for approximately 20% of its scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines experienced only 38 cancellations and 155 delays, representing about 5% of its planned flights.
The disruptions originated from a faulty software update executed by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday. This update adversely affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, rendering many corporate users unable to access their essential systems, with some confronting the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident had a broader impact, affecting various industries including healthcare, delivery, retail, and finance, but was particularly devastating for airlines. On that Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and another 5,171 were canceled, with Delta suffering the most.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the cancellations, stating, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events.” He emphasized Delta’s commitment to connecting the world and the challenges that come with travel disruptions.
Bastian indicated that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for many applications, including those for crew tracking, which couldn’t adapt to the system shutdown. As a result, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change flights at no cost, and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
On social media, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg noted that his department received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s management of the situation. He emphasized the need for Delta to offer refunds, free rebooking options, and timely reimbursements for affected customers’ food and hotel expenses, stating, “No one should be stranded at an airport overnight or stuck on hold for hours waiting to talk to a customer service agent.”