The Department of Transportation is conducting an investigation into Delta Air Lines to ensure that the airline is addressing consumer rights amid ongoing flight cancellations, which followed a global technology outage that occurred last week.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg emphasized in a social media statement that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment, asserting his commitment to uphold this right. He mentioned that the department had received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in restoring operations following a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that affected businesses worldwide. This issue disrupted Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving corporate users unable to access their systems, with some experiencing the notorious “Blue Screen of Death.”
The disruption impacted nearly every major industry, including healthcare, retail, and financial services, but airlines and airports were particularly hard hit. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed and 5,171 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware, with Delta experiencing the most significant impact.
Delta canceled approximately 3,500 flights over Friday and Saturday. The airline reported more than 2,500 cancellations on Sunday and Monday and an additional 3,441 delays. As of Tuesday, 738 flights had already been canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret, stating that canceling flights is always a last resort and acknowledging how disruptive such incidents can be for travelers. He noted that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for numerous applications, including tools related to crew tracking, which were unable to adapt to the system shutdown.
In response to the disruptions, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge, along with offering meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation services.