The U.S. Department of Transportation is looking into Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is properly addressing consumer concerns following a series of flight cancellations stemming from a global tech outage last week.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated on social media that all airline passengers deserve fair treatment and pledged to uphold that right. He mentioned that the department has received numerous complaints regarding Delta’s handling of the situation.
Delta Air Lines, based in Atlanta, has struggled to return to normal operations after a problematic software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike disrupted global business operations. A flaw in the update affected Microsoft’s Windows systems, leaving many corporate users unable to access essential services and facing issues such as the “Blue Screen of Death.”
This incident impacted numerous industries, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, but airlines and airports were particularly hard hit. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, with an additional 5,171 cancellations reported by FlightAware. Delta experienced the worst disruption, canceling around 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday and more than 2,500 additional flights on Sunday and Monday, along with 3,441 delays. As of Tuesday, 738 flights had already been canceled or delayed.
Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, expressed regret for the cancellations, emphasizing that canceling flights is a last resort. He extended apologies to all affected travelers, affirming that Delta is committed to connecting the world and understands the challenges of travel disruptions.
Bastian noted that Delta relies heavily on Microsoft Windows for many applications, including a critical crew tracking tool that failed to adapt to the shutdown. To assist customers, Delta has offered a travel waiver allowing free flight changes, along with meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.