The Department of Transportation is currently investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer needs as it continues to cancel flights following a global technology outage last week.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for airline passengers, stating on social media that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s handling of the situation stemming from the tech issues.
Delta, which is based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in fully resuming operations after a flawed software update by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike last Thursday affected businesses worldwide. This update created problems in Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users struggling with access issues, and in some cases, experiencing the “Blue Screen of Death.”
The outage impacted nearly every major industry, including healthcare, logistics, retail, and finance, but airlines and airports experienced the most significant disruptions. According to FlightAware, over 46,000 flights were delayed and 5,171 were canceled on Friday alone, with Delta being the airline most severely impacted.
Delta reported canceling approximately 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday. Additionally, FlightAware data shows the airline canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday, while also delaying another 3,441 flights. By Tuesday, Delta had already canceled or delayed 738 flights.
In a statement on Sunday, Delta CEO Ed Bastian acknowledged the challenges faced by travelers, 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 a significant number of applications utilizing Microsoft Windows, including a crew tracking tool that could not manage the changes caused by the system failure. To assist affected customers, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.