Delta Air Lines has canceled hundreds of flights as it continues to recover from a global software outage that disrupted travel for several days. The Atlanta-based airline canceled 1,300 flights on Sunday and delayed 1,600, according to FlightAware. Earlier, the airline had already scrapped more than 3,500 flights between Friday and Saturday.
As of 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta reported 626 canceled flights and 144 delays, accounting for about 20% of its total scheduled operations. In contrast, American Airlines experienced relatively minimal disruptions, with only 38 canceled flights and 155 delays, making up roughly 5% of its operations.
The issues facing Delta originated from a flawed software update implemented by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. The update caused problems with Microsoft Windows operating systems, resulting in corporate users being unable to access their systems and, in some instances, encountering the troubling “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident had widespread repercussions across various sectors, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but the aviation industry was particularly hard hit. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and more than 5,000 were canceled, with Delta bearing the brunt of the fallout.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the cancellations, emphasizing that these decisions are never taken lightly. He extended apologies to those affected and acknowledged that disruptions can significantly impact travel plans. Bastian noted that Delta relies on numerous applications that operate on Microsoft Windows, including a critical crew tracking tool that was unable to function correctly due to the system outage. The airline has since offered a travel waiver, allowing customers to change their flights without fees, in addition to providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg commented on social media that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s management of the situation. He emphasized that Delta is expected to provide refunds, free rebooking options, and timely reimbursements for food and hotel expenses to affected travelers. Buttigieg stated that no passenger should be left stranded overnight at an airport or be forced to wait long hours on hold for customer service assistance.