Delta Air Lines Offers Refunds, CEO Apologizes After 1,000 Flights Canceled

By Reed Strength  |  August 9, 2016 | 12:48pm
Photos by Drew Angerer/Getty
Travel News Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines is on damage control duty after a power outage early yesterday crippled its computer systems and stranded thousands of frustrated customers in airports across the globe.

Today, as the Associated Press reports, the extent of the electronic mishap can be examined: around 1,000 total flights (a massive jump from the 300 intitally reported around noon yesterday) were canceled and 2,900 delayed.

Thought the airline’s electronic systems are slowly returning to operation, Reuters reports that Delta has already canceled 300 flights today as it attempts to normalize the chaos. Current Delta customers should reportedly check the status of their flights, as more delays and cancellations are imminent.

Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian filmed a brief minute-long apology video in which to address the issue and formally express his regret to affected customers.

“I apologize for the challenges this has created for you with your travel experience,” said Bastian. “The Delta team is working very, very hard to restore and get these systems back as quickly as possible.”

Bastian also referenced the waivers available to those inconvenienced by his company’s system malfunction. Those customers whose flights were canceled or delayed by three or more hours can claim up to $200 in vouchers and travel waivers from the Delta website here.

According to Reuters, a faulty switchgear in the airline’s operations center within Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was the cause of the outage.

Though rumors of hacking have so far been debunked, the airline and Georgia Power are still unsure as to why the airline’s backup-power systems didn’t engage after the initial outage. A spokesperson for the power company told the AP to lay the blame on Delta’s equipment, as no one else in the area experienced an outage.

 
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