Delta Airlines faced another challenging day on Monday as it continued to deal with the aftermath of a global IT outage that occurred last Friday. The airline had to cancel over 750 mainline flights, which made up 19% of its schedule for the day. This number does not include the flights operated by Delta Connection regional network, which is managed by contracted operators. One of these operators, Endeavor Air, had to cancel 65 flights, accounting for 9% of its network.
The IT outage experienced by Delta has had a significant impact on the airline industry. Data from OAG showed that Delta, along with Delta Connection, canceled a total of 4,675 flights between Friday and Sunday. This was a much higher number compared to other airlines during the same period. United Airlines had the second-highest number of cancellations at 1,706, but it had managed to restore its network by Monday. American Airlines canceled 860 flights primarily on Friday, while Spirit Airlines had to cancel 550 flights over the weekend.
In a message to customers on Sunday, Delta CEO Ed Bastian provided some insight into the situation. He explained that the IT outage affected several applications in the Windows operating system that Delta relies on. One of the tools impacted was a crew-tracking system, which led to issues in processing the numerous changes required due to the operational disruptions. Bastian acknowledged the challenges faced by customers, especially given that the outage occurred during one of the busiest travel weekends of the summer.
Bastian expressed his apologies to the affected customers, emphasizing that Delta is committed to connecting people around the world. He highlighted the difficulties faced by travelers when their plans get disrupted and assured that the airline is working to address the situation. Delta has extended its travel waiver through Tuesday, allowing impacted passengers to rebook their flights without incurring fare differences until July 28. The airline is also offering travel vouchers and SkyMiles points to affected customers.
As Delta works to restore its operations to normalcy, the airline industry is closely monitoring the situation. Customers are eagerly awaiting updates on when flights will be back on schedule. Travel Weekly has reached out to Delta for the latest information on the progress towards resuming normal operations.