Delta Air Lines Struggles to Restore Operations Following Cyber Outage Incident

Delta Air Lines Struggles to Recover from Global Cyber Outage, Cancels 1,250 More Flights

Delta Air Lines is facing major challenges in restoring normal operations following a debilitating global cyber outage last week. The airline has now canceled an additional 1,250 flights on top of the 3,500 previously scrapped, leaving thousands of travelers stranded across the United States.

With some passengers forced to rent cars and drive long distances, while others may have to wait days for new flights or even cancel their trips altogether, the impact of the outage is being keenly felt by Delta’s customers.

The Atlanta-based carrier, which has canceled a third of its schedule and delayed 44% of its flights, is struggling to resolve operational issues stemming from the cyber incident that affected its crew tracking system.

Delta has not provided a timeline for when normal operations will resume, and has already canceled 305 more flights for Monday, bringing the total number of canceled flights since Friday to over 5,000.

The issue was triggered by a software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that caused problems for Microsoft customers, including several airlines. While most U.S. carriers have recovered, Delta continues to face challenges in returning to full service.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian acknowledged the impact on the airline’s systems, stating that a crew tracking-related tool was unable to process the unprecedented number of changes caused by the shutdown. He assured customers that Delta would make strategic adjustments to ensure safety.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has been in communication with Bastian, emphasizing the carrier’s responsibilities to customers and the department’s role in enforcement. Buttigieg stated that the Department of Transportation would uphold passenger protections and address complaints from affected travelers.

CrowdStrike reported that a significant number of the 8.5 million affected Microsoft devices, including Delta’s, are now back online. The airline continues to work towards resolving the fallout from the cyber incident, while striving to minimize disruption for its passengers.