Delta ground stop lifted following computer crash

About 300 flights canceled

ATLANTA – Delta Airlines has resumed operations after a computer systems failure in Atlanta grounded all of its flights worldwide.

The airline said limited departures are resuming, and cancelations and delays continue. About 300 of the 6,000 flights scheduled for Monday were canceled by 10:30 a.m.

Miami International Airport reported 16 flights delayed due to the system failure, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport reported 10 flights delayed.

Widespread flight disruptions were reported by social media user and thousands of Delta passengers around the world said they were experiencing delays.

Still the situation in South Florida was not as chaotic as it could have been.

The Delta check-in counter at FLL was not too busy despite the self-check-in kiosks being down.

"The app didn't work very well, no," Becky Nowodzelski, who was flying to Wisconsin, said. "But I did download my boarding passes yesterday, so I still have those."

There were long lines at the gate counter at FLL, with people waiting to find out when they would be able to head to their destinations. A similar situation was seen at MIA.

"All I've gotten is a text from my travel agent, saying that the systems are down and the flight is indefinitely delayed," Mark Bagnoli said. "The decision is whether to wait here for an indefinite delay or try to go to another airline."

Despite the delays and cancelations, most travelers said the situation was being handled professionally and as best as possible.

"Smooth and peaceful, without any problems," one woman said.

Delta's CEO apologized in a video on the airline's social media pages and explained that a loss of power at the company's headquarters in Atlanta forced the shut down.

Delta's problems come less than three weeks after Southwest Airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights following a system outage.

The airline has enforced a waiver system, so passengers can receive a full refund if their flight is canceled or significantly delayed. Passengers are also entitled to a one-time change on their ticket without any additional fees.

Click here to learn more about the travel waiver.


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

Layron Livingston made the move from Ohio's Miami Valley to Miami, Florida, to join the Local 10 News team.