The Department of Transportation is investigating Delta Air Lines to ensure consumer rights are being upheld after the carrier continued to cancel flights following a global tech outage last week.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized the importance of fair treatment for all airline passengers in a social media statement on Tuesday. He noted that the department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the recent tech disruptions.
Delta, based in Atlanta, has been struggling to restore full operations after a failed software update by cybersecurity provider CrowdStrike impacted businesses worldwide late last Thursday. A bug in the update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems, often encountering the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The tech incident affected nearly every major industry, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and financial sectors. However, airlines and airports suffered extensively; on Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and approximately 5,171 were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta being the most severely impacted airline.
Delta reported the cancellation of around 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday. The airline canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday while also delaying another 3,441. By Tuesday, the disruptions had continued, with 738 flights either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian stated on Sunday, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly. I want to apologize to everyone affected by these events. Delta is committed to connecting the world, and we understand the difficulties caused by travel disruptions.”
Bastian noted that Delta relies on a significant number of Microsoft Windows applications, including a tool for tracking crew availability that was unable to adapt due to the system shutdown. In response to the ongoing disruptions, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without incurring fees, and is also providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.