The Department of Transportation is conducting an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure consumer protection as the airline continues to face flight cancellations following a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized the right of airline passengers to fair treatment, stating on social media that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the outages.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has struggled to restore operations several days after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike impacted businesses worldwide. The flawed update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, resulting in corporate users facing access issues and, in some instances, encountering the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident had widespread repercussions across various sectors, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines were severely impacted; on Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and about 5,171 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware. Delta experienced the most significant disruption.
The airline canceled approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, with more than 2,500 additional cancellations occurring on Sunday and Monday, along with 3,441 delays. On Tuesday, Delta already reported 738 flights that were either canceled or delayed.
In a statement, Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret, saying, “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 noted that Delta relies on numerous applications that utilize Microsoft Windows, including a tool for crew tracking that faced disruptions due to the system shutdown. To assist affected customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation.