The Department of Transportation has launched an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure that the airline is adequately addressing consumer issues amid ongoing flight cancellations resulting from a recent global technology outage.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized on social media that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment and pledged to uphold this right. He had previously noted that his department received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation following the tech failures.
Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in restoring full operations following a problematic software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that occurred late Thursday, affecting businesses worldwide. A glitch in the update disrupted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users without access and leading to issues such as the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident had widespread repercussions, impacting numerous industries, including healthcare, logistics, retail, and finance, but airlines and airports were particularly hit hard. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and an additional 5,171 flights were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta experiencing the most significant disruptions.
Delta reported canceling approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday and more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday, with another 3,441 delays. On Tuesday, FlightAware indicated that there were already 738 cancellations or delays.
In response to the situation, Delta CEO Ed Bastian stated that canceling a flight is always a last resort, and he expressed his apologies to those affected. He explained that Delta relies heavily on applications operating on Microsoft Windows, including tools related to crew tracking, which were unable to function due to the system issues. To assist affected customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing free flight changes and is providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.