The Department of Transportation is currently looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is appropriately managing consumer concerns in light of numerous flight cancellations following a significant 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 mentioned that the department has received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the technical issues.
Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, has faced challenges in resuming full operations after a problematic software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which occurred late Thursday and had a ripple effect on businesses worldwide. The flawed update affected Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access their systems and facing crashes.
The incident impacted nearly every major industry, with healthcare providers, delivery services, retailers, and financial institutions among those affected. Airlines, however, experienced some of the most significant disruptions. On one day alone, more than 46,000 flights were delayed, and over 5,171 were canceled, as reported by FlightAware, with Delta suffering the most.
Delta announced the cancellation of approximately 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday. The airline canceled over 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday while delaying an additional 3,441. By Tuesday, FlightAware reported that 738 flights were either canceled or delayed.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed regret over the disruptions in a statement, saying, “Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly.” He added, “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 heavily on various Microsoft Windows applications, including a tool for crew tracking that was affected by the system outage. In response, the airline has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights without charge, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation assistance.