The Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure consumer rights are protected amid ongoing flight cancellations following a recent global tech outage.
Microsoft has shifted responsibility back to Delta regarding the incident, which arose from a faulty software update implemented by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike last Thursday. This error affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users without access to their systems and encountering issues like the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg expressed his commitment to fairness for airline passengers on social media, stating that his department has received numerous complaints about Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has faced significant challenges in restoring operations, with the botched software update impacting various sectors, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance. Airlines, particularly Delta, were hit hard; on Friday alone, over 46,000 flights experienced delays, and around 5,171 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware.
According to reports, Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, and an additional 2,500 flights were called off on Sunday and Monday, with over 3,400 delays noted. On Tuesday, the airline had already canceled or delayed 738 flights.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian stated, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort and something we don’t take lightly.” He extended apologies to affected travelers, acknowledging the challenges posed by such disruptions. Bastian explained that many of Delta’s critical applications run on Microsoft Windows, including a tool for tracking flight crews that was severely impacted by the outage. In response to the situation, Delta has provided travel waivers allowing customers to change their flights at no cost, along with meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.