The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is meeting consumer protection standards following numerous flight cancellations connected to a global tech outage last week.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg stated on social media Tuesday, “All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld.” He mentioned that his department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the tech disruptions.
Delta Air Lines, headquartered in Atlanta, has faced challenges in restoring its services after a problematic software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike late Thursday affected businesses nationwide. This update caused issues with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems.
The incident had a widespread impact across various industries, including healthcare, retail, and finance, with the airline sector particularly hard hit. On Friday, over 46,000 flights were delayed and 5,171 were canceled, according to data from FlightAware, with Delta facing the brunt of the disruptions.
Delta reported canceling approximately 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday, with more than 2,500 additional cancellations on Sunday and Monday, along with delays of 3,441 flights. On Tuesday alone, 738 flights had either been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret on Sunday, stating, “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 a significant number of Delta’s applications rely on Microsoft Windows, particularly a tool for tracking crew schedules that failed to adjust due to the system shutdown. In response, Delta has announced a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights at no extra cost, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.