Delta Air Lines continues to grapple with the fallout from a global technology outage caused by a faulty CrowdStrike software update, which began on Friday, July 19. The airline has canceled over 5,500 flights since the outage began, with an additional 700 flights canceled on Monday, July 22, representing about 20% of its daily operations. The scale of the global disruption is now known, with approximately 46,000 flights canceled globally in just one day due to the CrowdStrike outage.Delta CEO Ed Bastian has apologized for the inconvenience, citing the busy travel season and limitations in re-accommodating passengers. The outage affected a significant number of Delta’s functions that rely on Microsoft’s Windows operating system, including crew tracking tools, preventing the airline from processing large volumes of flight changes and crew assignments.While other major U.S. airlines such as United, American, Spirit, Frontier, and Allegiant have largely recovered from the initial disruptions, Delta’s continued struggles have drawn attention from the federal government. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has spoken with Bastian and is demanding that Delta provide hotels and meals for delayed travelers, as well as prompt refunds for those who don’t want to be rebooked.The outage has affected various sectors worldwide, including banks, tech firms, airports, and emergency services. Microsoft estimates that the update affected 8.5 million Windows devices globally, which is less than 1% of all Windows machines.As Delta works to restore its operations, the airline expects to cancel more flights this week. The incident highlights the vulnerabilities in the airline industry’s dependence on external IT systems and the potential for widespread disruptions from seemingly minor software updates.
Key points
- Delta Air Lines has canceled over 5,500 flights since Friday due to a global technology outage caused by a faulty CrowdStrike software update.
- Approximately 46,000 flights were canceled globally in just one day due to the CrowdStrike outage.
- Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is demanding that Delta provide compensation and refunds to affected passengers.
- The outage has affected various sectors worldwide, including banks, tech firms, and emergency services.
Contradictions👾While most sources report Delta canceling over 5,500 flights since Friday, one source mentions Delta canceling over 3,500 flights through Saturday.
This discrepancy could be due to different reporting periods or updated information.
