The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure the company is adequately addressing consumer concerns following numerous flight cancellations stemming from a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg expressed his commitment to enforcing consumer rights, stating on social media, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” This statement came after Buttigieg noted that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the recent outages.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, is working to restore operations after a problematic software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike on Thursday, which adversely affected various global businesses. This update created issues within Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users struggling, some even experiencing the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident sent shockwaves through multiple industries, including healthcare, retail, delivery services, and finance, with airlines and airports experiencing the most disruption. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and 5,171 canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta facing the greatest impact.
Delta reported that it canceled around 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday. On Sunday and Monday, more than 2,500 additional flights were canceled, along with 3,441 delays. As of Tuesday, there have already been 738 cancellations or delays, according to FlightAware.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian stated, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to every one of you who have been impacted by these events. Delta is in the business of connecting the world, and we understand how difficult it can be when your travels are disrupted.”
Bastian explained that a substantial number of Delta’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, including a tool for tracking crew schedules, which was unable to manage the changes caused by the system shutdown. In response to the disruptions, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights at no cost, along with providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.