Are Flights Still Being Canceled After the Microsoft Outage?

After a widespread tech outage, my Sunday afternoon Delta flight from Boston Logan (BOS) to San Francisco (SFO) was canceled, with the next available Delta flight nearly 48 hours later. I opted for United Airlines, arriving at my destination over 12 hours later than planned, costing over $2,000. Fortunately, my employer covered the new ticket as a business expense. Had I been paying myself, I would have claimed the cost through my credit card's travel insurance.

You could say I was fortunate. In the days following a CrowdStrike software update that caused global system failures, Delta has canceled over 1,000 flights on Tuesday alone, continuing a streak of five consecutive days with similar disruptions, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and prompting a formal investigation by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), partly due to Delta's temporary suspension of unaccompanied minor travel.

While most U.S. airlines have nearly returned to normal by Tuesday morning, Delta is still struggling. As of 3 p.m. ET Tuesday, over 25 percent of its flights were either delayed or canceled, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.

On Monday, Delta and its regional partners were responsible for about two-thirds of all global flight cancellations. Since Friday, nearly 6,000 Delta flights have been removed from the schedule. Ed Bastian, the airline's CEO, reached out to passengers in an email on Sunday, attributing the disruptions to the aftermath of last week's global tech incident.

“I want to extend my sincerest apologies to everyone affected by these circumstances,” Bastian stated in a Sunday message. “Please rest assured that the entire Delta team, comprised of the industry's finest professionals, has been tirelessly working to ensure you reach your destinations safely and to restore the reliable, on-time service you expect.”

What is causing the high number of Delta flight cancellations and delays due to the Microsoft outage?

The airline revealed that Friday's brief outage disrupted one of Delta's essential crew scheduling systems, making it "unable to efficiently manage the overwhelming number of changes." While other airlines recovered, Delta has struggled to position pilots and flight attendants, many of whom are still stranded. Additionally, the airline's website and mobile app have encountered issues, preventing many passengers from rebooking their flights independently.

When can we expect Delta operations to return to normal?

“It will take a few more days before we can confidently say that the worst is behind us,” Bastian informed staff in an internal memo on Monday. “Today should be better than yesterday, and we hope that Tuesday and Wednesday will see even more improvement.”

Delta's recent operational failures strikingly resemble the meltdown experienced by Southwest Airlines during the winter holidays of 2022, when the Dallas-based airline canceled over 17,000 flights in just 15 days due to similar crew scheduling technology problems. This crisis affected about 2 million travelers and led to a $140 million fine from the DOT.

Is Delta providing refunds and compensation?

Currently, Delta is offering a travel waiver, allowing customers to reschedule their upcoming flights as far ahead as Sunday, July 28, without incurring fees or fare differences. However, with limited seating options and no clear timeline for when flights will return to reliable operation, this may not suffice for many passengers who have already been stranded for days.

Delta has stated it will cover certain costs arising from flight disruptions, including reimbursements for eligible travel-related expenses. However, this is a requirement mandated by the DOT. The airline specified that it will not cover costs such as “hotel stays at the destination, vacation activities, lost wages, or tickets for concerts and other events.”

On Tuesday, the DOT initiated a formal investigation into Delta's service issues. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated in a post on X that the inquiry aims “to ensure the airline complies with the law and adequately supports its passengers during ongoing widespread disruptions.” As regulatory pressure mounts, Delta may have to enhance its reimbursement policies.