The Department of Transportation is investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure proper consumer care as the airline continues to cancel flights following last week’s global tech outage.
“All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld,” Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg stated on social media Tuesday. Buttigieg previously mentioned that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” on Delta’s response to the tech issues.
The Atlanta-based Delta has faced challenges in resuming full operations after a software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused extensive outages last Thursday. A defect in the update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users without system access and dealing with the “Blue Screen of Death.”
Nearly all major industries were impacted, including healthcare providers, delivery services, retailers, and financial institutions. Airlines and airports were particularly disrupted: on Friday, over 46,000 flights were delayed and 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta being the most affected.
Delta reported canceling around 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday. FlightAware data showed over 2,500 Delta cancellations on Sunday and Monday, along with 3,441 delays. By Tuesday, 738 Delta flights had been canceled or delayed.
“Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a Sunday statement. “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 noted that Delta has many applications using Microsoft Windows, including a crew tracking tool that couldn’t handle the system changes. Delta has issued a travel waiver allowing customers to change flights for free, and is providing meal vouchers, hotel rooms, and transportation.