Delta Air Lines canceled hundreds of flights on Monday as the airline continued to face challenges following a global software outage that disrupted travel around the world for three days.
According to FlightAware, the Atlanta-based airline canceled 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600 on Sunday alone and had previously canceled over 3,500 Delta and Delta Connection flights between Friday and Saturday.
As of around 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta had canceled 626 flights and delayed 144, representing about 20% of its planned operations. In contrast, American Airlines reported only 38 flight cancellations and 155 delays, or about 5% of its scheduled flights.
The problems originated from a faulty software update implemented by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday. A bug in the update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, disrupting access for corporate users and causing issues such as the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident impacted nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, with airlines and airports experiencing some of the most significant effects. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and an additional 5,171 were canceled according to FlightAware, with Delta being hit the hardest.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian issued an apology on Sunday, emphasizing the gravity of flight cancellations. “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly,” he stated. He added that Delta understands how difficult travel disruptions can be for passengers.
Bastian noted that Delta has numerous applications that depend on Microsoft Windows, including a crew tracking tool that could not adapt to the changes caused by the system failure. To assist affected travelers, Delta has provided a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights free of charge, as well as offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg remarked on social media late Sunday that his department received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s management of the disruptions. He called on Delta to ensure that customers receive refunds, free rebooking options, and timely reimbursements for meals and accommodations.
“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.