Airlines, including Delta Air Lines, continued facing challenges in restoring operations after a software update caused widespread technological disruptions. The incident led to the grounding of numerous flights worldwide. As of Sunday, there were 1,461 flight cancellations within, into, or out of the U.S., with Delta and United Airlines experiencing the highest number of cancellations.
Delta’s Chief Executive, Ed Bastian, addressed customers on Sunday, explaining the ongoing cancellations and efforts to recover systems. He reported that the disruption resulted in over 3,500 canceled flights for Delta and Delta Connection. The airline has been offering waivers to passengers affected by the cancellations.
Airlines, Including Delta, Struggle with Flight Cancellations Following Software Update
Bastian highlighted that one of Delta’s crew tracking tools was particularly impacted, unable to handle the significant number of changes due to the outage. The technology failure coincided with the busiest travel weekend of the summer, with booked loads exceeding 90%, which severely limited Delta’s ability to re-accommodate passengers.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg contacted Bastian on Sunday regarding the high volume of cancellations since Friday. The Transportation Department emphasized Delta’s responsibility to provide refunds to passengers whose flights were canceled and who opt not to be rebooked. They also stressed the importance of offering free rebooking, timely reimbursements for food and lodging, and adequate customer service.
Buttigieg insisted that passengers should not be stranded at airports or stuck waiting on hold for long periods. He assured that the Transportation Department would support Delta passengers by enforcing passenger protection regulations to ensure prompt refunds, rebooking, and customer service.
