Delta Air Lines faced significant disruptions on Monday, canceling hundreds of flights as the company continues to recover from a global software outage that caused delays and grounded flights for three days.
According to FlightAware, Delta canceled 1,300 flights and delayed 1,600 on Sunday alone. Over the course of Friday and Saturday, the airline had already canceled more than 3,500 flights for both Delta and Delta Connection.
By 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Delta reported canceling 626 flights and delaying 144, representing around 20% of its scheduled operations. In comparison, American Airlines managed to cancel only 38 flights and delay 155, which is about 5% of its planned flights.
The disruptions were linked to a flawed software update issued by CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm, on Thursday night. This update caused issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, preventing corporate users from accessing their systems and leading to critical failures, including the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident affected nearly every major sector, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines, particularly, bore the brunt of this outage; on Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, accompanied by 5,171 cancellations, with Delta experiencing the greatest impact.
Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, expressed regret over the cancellations in a statement on Sunday, emphasizing that such decisions are never taken lightly. He apologized to all those affected, reaffirming Delta’s commitment to connecting people worldwide and acknowledging the difficulties that disruptions bring to travelers.
Bastian noted that a significant portion of Delta’s operations relies on Microsoft Windows, including key applications like their crew tracking system, which was unable to cope with the repercussions of the shutdown. To assist impacted passengers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg shared on social media that his department received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s management of the situation. He urged the airline to ensure refunds, facilitate free rebooking, and provide timely reimbursements for costs incurred due to food and accommodation. Buttigieg emphasized that no passenger should be left stranded at airports overnight or forced to wait for extended periods to reach customer service.