Delta computer outage costs $100m

Power cut to blame

Last month's computer outage at US airline Delta cost the company around $100m, its CEO has admitted.

In a financial statement, Delta's boss Ed Bastian said that the disruption was caused by a power outage in Atlanta and led to more than 2,300 flights being cancelled over a three-day period. While in purely financial terms the damage cost $100m, many of the people stuck in airports also have a less-than-stellar view of the airline these days.

"We are grateful to our customers for continuing to rely on Delta for the superior customer service and operational performance you've come to expect from us," Bastian said. "Our recovery effort exemplified the hard work and determination of Delta people worldwide, and all 80,000 remain dedicated to regaining your trust."

One would imagine the disaster-recovery planning team at Delta will be having an unpleasant staff assessment at the end of the year. ®